Apple announced its next generation of CarPlay back in June 2022 when it held the annual WWDC event. Part of the iOS 16 unveiling, the next-gen CarPlay is designed to take the in-car dash system people use today and upgrade it in multiple ways, not least by adding support for multiple displays for the first time. Now, it looks increasingly likely that the refreshed CarPlay will ship in 2024 and some of its features have now appeared in the very first iOS 17.4 beta.
That iOS 17.4 beta is doing a lot of heavy lifting as Apple gets ready to allow third-party app stores in the EU, but it also appears to be laying the groundwork for new CarPlay features as well. Eight new CarPlay apps have been found in the first iOS 17.4 beta and they are all designed to hook into a vehicle's systems in a way the current CarPlay simply isn't capable of. Those apps include those designed to adjust the climate control, identify if doors are open or closed, and more.
