iOS 26.4 gave CarPlay two new features, with another big one coming

iOS 26.4 recently gave CarPlay two new features, while also laying the groundwork for another big upgrade coming soon.

#1: AI voice assistant apps

AI chatbots can do more now than ever, but those capabilities have historically been inaccessible when driving.

iOS 26.4 changes that by unlocking support for a new category of CarPlay apps: ‘voice-based conversational apps.’

CarPlay has always been restricted to only allow certain categories of apps. And in iOS 26.4, Apple has added a new category that will allow AI chatbots to live in CarPlay.

ChatGPT and Perplexity recently rolled out dedicated CarPlay apps that let you interact with those assistants while driving. We’re expecting similar debuts from Google Gemini and Claude in the not-too-distant future.

Apple has certain requirements to ensure safety on the road. For example, AI apps must center around voice interactions, and are unable to show text or imagery so as to minimize distractions. You also can’t replace Siri as your default AI assistant, at least for now.

But allowing native AI chatbot apps in CarPlay is still a big development for users who regularly interact with third-party AI assistants.

#2: Ambient Music widget

In iOS 26, Apple brought iPhone-style widgets to CarPlay for the first time. They provide glanceable information like weather conditions, your Reminders to-dos, access to HomeKit accessories, and more.

Now in iOS 26.4, there’s one new widget to choose from: Ambient Music.

Open Settings ⇾ General ⇾ CarPlay ⇾ Widgets on your iPhone to get started. There, you can configure one or more of your widget stacks with the new Ambient Music widget.

The Ambient Music widget lets you kick off a mood playlist for Chill, Productivity, Sleep, or Wellbeing. It’s just like what’s now available for your iPhone Home Screen in iOS 26.4.

Widgets are still very new to CarPlay, so it’s good to see Apple adding more options already.

Coming soon: Video in the car

Last year at WWDC, Apple said that iOS 26 would add support for a long-requested CarPlay feature: video.

Video in the car was expected to ship in iOS 26.0, but it never arrived. Finally though, the iOS 26.4 beta cycle revealed that the new feature is coming very soon.

The first iOS 26.4 beta had evidence of CarPlay video support, and developer Thomas Dye was even able to get the interface running and publish a video showing what to expect.

So far though, we haven’t seen evidence that video in the car is in the shipping iOS 26.4 build. As a result, it seems the feature might need a little more development time.

When video in the car does debut, it’s expected to be a slow rollout due to a requirement for automakers to formally approve the feature for its vehicles.

Have you started using AI assistants in CarPlay with iOS 26.4? Let us know in the comments.

Best CarPlay accessories

• AirTag 2 for tracking your car (1-pack / 4-pack)
• MagSafe Car Mount for iPhone
• 10-foot iPhone cable USB-C to USB-A
• FLYLEAD car charger with 2 USB-C and 2 USB-A ports
• 10-year AirTag battery case 2-pack