BMW has confirmed that a software update will re-enable support for Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto features by June of this year as the German carmaker is in the middle of changing its chip supplier.
- New vehicles from the German car producer BMW are temporarily shipping without Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Audio features.
- This is because the chips in BMW’s 2022 vehicles require an updated software to be fully compatible with CarPlay and Android Auto.
- BMW wouldn’t say how many models are shipping without these features, with affected models apparently using the code “6P1” in their specification.
Your BMW arrived without CarPlay? Here’s what to do
The global chip shortage seems to have prompted BMW to temporarily ship new vehicles without Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto features. The German maker is switching semiconductor suppliers to address component shortages, the story goes, and was forced to temporarily pull support for the features. Both CarPlay and Google’s version of it are currently unavailable on new BMW vehicles.
BMW is shipping new cars without Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality after the automaker switched chip suppliers in a move that helped it navigate the ongoing semiconductor shortage.
Dealerships are telling prospective customers that if their car arrived without CarPlay and Android Auto that they’ll get those features via an over-the-air update “by the end of June at the latest.” The root of the issue: Outdated chips (with the global chip shortage not helping). The ones BMW is currently using for its in-car infotainment system aren’t 100 percent compatible with Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto, requiring an upcoming software update to enable full support.
What’s BMW’s response to the situation?
“The chips built into these cars in the first four months of this year need updated software in order to be fully functional and offer Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Wi-Fi capability,” a BMW spokesperson said in a statement to the press. An over-the-air update will be offered “by the end of June at the latest” to re-enable support.” Read: How to use the route planner in Apple Maps on the Mac
The company wouldn’t reveal how many units are affected at the moment, with many customers in the US, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Germany and other major markets reporting receiving their car without CarPlay functionality.
BMW has supported CarPlay, Apple’s in-car platform, since 2016. The German automaker also supports both Digital Key and Ultra Wideband Digital Key Plus standards which permit customers to unlock and start their car with just a smartphone in their pocket. This has enabled BMW to become the first automobile maker to support CarKey, Apple’s new feature that lets you add a digital version of a supported car’s key to the Wallet app on your iPhone or Apple Watch. Read: How to quickly access Wallet and Apple Pay on the lock screen