Tesla Reportedly Developing Apple CarPlay Integration to Revive Slumping EV Sales

Tesla Eyes Apple CarPlay to Counter EV Sales Slump: Report

San Francisco, November 13, 2025** – Tesla is reportedly developing Apple CarPlay support for its vehicles in a bid to reverse declining sales and appease customers frustrated by the lack of iPhone integration, according to people familiar with the project.

The effort represents a major shift for the EV maker, which has long resisted third-party systems in favor of its own infotainment platform. Internal testing has been underway for months, with a potential launch targeted for late 2025—though the feature remains subject to change or cancellation, sources caution.

Rather than handing full control to CarPlay, Tesla plans to display it in a resizable window within its native interface, keeping essential functions like Autopilot, navigation, and climate settings under its own control. Wireless connectivity is under consideration, but the company intends to use the standard version of CarPlay, not the next-generation system that spans multiple screens.

The move comes as Tesla faces its first annual sales decline in over a decade, driven by intensifying competition from established automakers and Chinese rivals, alongside delays in self-driving technology and growing controversy surrounding CEO Elon Musk. Customer surveys have consistently ranked the absence of CarPlay and Android Auto as a top reason some buyers choose competitors like Ford, GM, or Hyundai.

Musk has previously called CarPlay redundant, insisting Tesla’s over-the-air software updates and in-house apps deliver a superior experience. But with demand cooling, adding CarPlay could help win back iPhone users and reinforce Apple’s influence in the car—especially after it scrapped its decade-long electric vehicle project last year.

Tesla declined to comment. Shares rose modestly in early trading on the news.

The potential integration highlights the mounting pressure on Tesla to adapt in a rapidly evolving EV market, even if it means compromising on its tightly controlled software ecosystem.