Tesla Mulls Adopting Apple CarPlay Amid Sales Slump and Elon Musk Backlash

In a surprising move, Tesla, one of the original holdouts against adopting Apple CarPlay, is now reportedly testing the popular phone projection system internally and may release it to the public in the coming months. This potential shift in Tesla's stance comes as the company faces a sales slump and the lingering effects of the "Great Elon Musk Backlash of 2025".

Tesla has long resisted allowing CarPlay and Android Auto in its vehicles, arguing that it can provide a better, more integrated software experience than a smartphone. However, this position has become increasingly unpopular, with a 2023 survey revealing that nearly half of new car buyers globally wouldn't purchase a vehicle without these phone-based systems.

Elon Musk's complicated relationship with Apple has also been a factor in Tesla's past resistance to CarPlay. Musk has criticized the company's App Store policies and was reportedly upset when Apple poached dozens of Tesla engineers to staff its own failed car project.

But with the current challenges facing Tesla, the company may be reconsidering its stance. Bloomberg reports that adopting CarPlay, as outlandish as it may seem, could be part of a broader strategy to reignite interest in Tesla's vehicles. The company plans to feature CarPlay in a window within its larger interface, rather than fully swapping out its own software.