Apple CarPlay gets icon boost, EV charging upgrade in iOS 18.4

Image: MacRumors

Apple's recent iOS 18.4 update quietly introduced notable enhancements to CarPlay, offering users with larger infotainment screens an expanded icon layout and improved electric vehicle routing.

MacRumors discovered that iOS 18.4 now displays three rows of app icons on CarPlay for vehicles with larger displays, up from the standard two. This allows for quicker access to more apps, reducing driver distraction. However, this feature appears limited to cars with larger screens, such as the 14-inch display found in the Toyota Tundra and is not visible on smaller displays like the 9-inch screen in a Honda Civic.

In addition to the icon layout change, Apple Maps' EV routing now supports the North American Charging System, commonly known as the Tesla charger. This enables Apple Maps to direct EV drivers to Tesla Superchargers when planning routes and calculating charging stops based on battery levels. However, EV routing compatibility is currently limited, with features varying by country and only select vehicles, such as the Ford F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E, supporting the function.

While these updates offer improvements, they are not the comprehensive CarPlay overhaul that aims to integrate Apple's software into vehicle systems fully. That larger upgrade remains unreleased, leaving users anticipating its arrival.

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