Mercedes-Benz CEO Declines Next-Gen Apple CarPlay for In-House Infotainment System

Mercedes-Benz has decided not to adopt the next-generation CarPlay in its MBUX/COMAND system, according to an interview with the company’s CEO, Ola Källenius, on The Verge’s podcast, Decoder with Nilay Patel. The decision was made public during the Beijing Motor Show 2024, where Mercedes-Benz showcased its new electric vehicle, the G580 with EQ technology.

Källenius explained that while the company will continue to support CarPlay, it has no plans to adopt the next-generation version. The reason being, the operating system is considered the central nervous system of the entire car, and infotainment is just one of its four domains. Mercedes-Benz is developing its own program for the entire infotainment area.

The company plans to adopt the completed version of MBOS 1.0, which was introduced in the new E-Class as MBOS 0.5, in the 2025 CLA. Mercedes-Benz is also working with Google to develop the next generation of onboard maps combined with driver assistance systems. This collaboration, according to Källenius, will result in an attractive product that elevates the expertise of Google’s best engineers and Mercedes’ best engineers to the next level.

Despite Apple announcing Mercedes-Benz as a next-generation CarPlay compatible manufacturer at WWDC22, it seems the company’s adoption plans are on hold.

Read more at: www.theverge.com