ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude are coming to Apple CarPlay with iOS 26.4. Earlier reports suggested that Apple would soon open up its in-car software experience to AI models from OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic, and the CarPlay Developer Guide now partially confirms the plan.
According to MacRumors, iOS 26.4 will let users access third-party chatbots in CarPlay, adding support for voice-based conversational apps. Apple is reportedly introducing a new voice control screen to enable the feature, allowing apps to provide visual feedback during voice interactions. The company has published a template for this screen in the CarPlay Developer Guide.
AI apps that integrate with CarPlay will be required to support this new voice control screen while voice-based services are active. In addition, Apple has introduced a new “CarPlay voice-based conversational app” entitlement, requiring iOS 26.4 as the minimum version. Companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google will need to update their apps with this entitlement to enable CarPlay compatibility.
While CarPlay already supports third-party apps, Apple currently restricts which types of apps can be used in the in-car experience to keep drivers focused. Until now, this limitation kept companies like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic from bringing their chatbots to CarPlay, leaving users reliant on Siri.
Third-party chatbots won’t support wake words
With the new integration, CarPlay users will be able to interact hands-free with apps like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude. However, these apps won’t be able to control vehicle functions or iPhone settings, and they won’t support wake words like “Hey, Siri.” Users will need to manually open the app to start a voice-based interaction, but once active, the new voice control screen will deliver “vehicle-optimized chatbot experiences.”
It’s worth noting that the CarPlay Developer Guide doesn’t specifically list the chatbots coming to CarPlay, but based on the previous report, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude are likely candidates. iOS 26.4 is currently in beta and is expected to hit the stable channel this spring.
