iOS 27 lands Monday, Sept 14, and CarPlay gets its biggest refresh in years. Here are 9 changes to try, and #2 finally puts video on your car screen.
iOS 27 installs on iPhone 11 and newer, so the CarPlay refresh reaches most drivers. Siri AI is the exception: it needs an iPhone 15 Pro or later.
Apps like Apple TV can now play video on your car screen while parked. Shift into drive and it switches to audio only. Your carmaker has to add support first.
Ask Siri AI to find an address buried in a text or email and start the route, hands-free. It launches in English first and needs an iPhone 15 Pro or newer.
Siri conversations you start in CarPlay sync to the Siri app on your iPhone, so a question from the drive is still waiting when you park.
Every CarPlay app category can now offer voice control, using a template Apple built for spoken back-and-forth. Look for it as your apps update for iOS 27.
The old waveform icon is gone. A MiniPlayer shows artwork with play, pause and skip, and you can drag the playhead to jump inside a podcast or audiobook.
Apple Maps' natural language search now works in CarPlay. Ask for directions that avoid tolls or highways without digging through route options.
Apple Maps and Google Maps can share your route with supported EVs, so the car checks it against its range and suggests a charging stop on the way.
CarPlay picks up iOS 27's wave-style wallpapers, 14 in all, plus Liquid Glass icons. Swap yours in the Settings app on the CarPlay screen.
Wireless CarPlay is more reliable in iOS 27, with sharper GPS and heading detection. On Monday, update in Settings, then General, then Software Update.