Tesla CarPlay Video: A Glimpse at the Potential Integration

Tesla owners have long asked for Apple CarPlay. Although the company has historically prioritized its own infotainment over third-party phone software, momentum now appears to be shifting.

This week, X user @sergelotz shared a video that appears to show Apple CarPlay running natively on a Tesla touchscreen. The demo looks highly refined, but it appears to be an aftermarket solution from EVOffer. Even so, it provides a compelling preview of how an official CarPlay integration could feel.

Update: This is a third-party setup that inserts a box between the screen's input and the vehicle’s computer, enabling it to modify what is displayed on the screen.

#CarPlay dispo dans les #Tesla !!! Follow pour savoir si c’est du lard ou du cochon ! Je part aux nouvelles en interne ! 😵‍💫🤔🤥😅😁🫡 Cc @teslaeurope @Tesla pic.twitter.com/ajA5vM3NJ8

— Sergio’s ✨ (@sergelotz) February 18, 2026

Tesla CarPlay: What's the Hold-Up?

Reports first surfaced last fall that Tesla was finally developing CarPlay support, marking a significant reversal in company policy. Earlier this month, new reports indicated that the project is still active but has encountered some technical challenges.

The primary roadblock involves Apple Maps. Because Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) system depends heavily on the car's native navigation, Tesla and Apple are said to be working together to keep turn-by-turn directions synchronized across Tesla’s and Apple’s mapping platforms. Tesla is also reportedly waiting for broader adoption of one of Apple’s more recent iOS 26 builds, which contains specific bug fixes required for the integration to function.

What to Expect From CarPlay On Your Tesla

If current rumors and this week’s video are accurate, CarPlay on a Tesla is unlikely to take over the entire display. Instead, it is expected to run as a dedicated "window" within the Tesla UI so that critical vehicle controls and the FSD visualization remain available.

• App Access: Native access to apps that are currently missing — like Waze, Telegram, Microsoft Teams, and more.
• Deep Sync: The Tesla music player and the CarPlay player are expected to stay in sync, and Apple Maps will occupy the right side of the screen similar to Tesla’s native navigation.
• Phone Notifications: Receive native notifications for apps on your phone.
• Group Messaging: Ability to send messages to groups on an iPhone for the first time.
• Multi-tasking: For the first time, run multiple apps at once, such as viewing music, maps, and calendar together in a split-view dashboard.
• AirPlay-like Support: Apple is also rumored to be working on AirPlay-like features for CarPlay, potentially enabling streaming of high-quality audio or even video to the Tesla screen while parked.

An open question is how Tesla will reconcile its native dock with CarPlay’s. The concept video shows the CarPlay dock positioned directly above Tesla's native dock, which may take some getting used to. It is also unclear whether CarPlay will simply appear in the app drawer or receive a dedicated icon elsewhere, as shown in the video.

While enthusiasm for CarPlay is high, the final implementation will need to minimize confusion from multiple docks and duplicate app names, such as Spotify.

A Long-Awaited Upgrade

While we wait for an over-the-air update to bring the "real deal" to vehicles, these concept videos underscore that demand remains strong. Allowing drivers to use the ecosystem already on their phones would be a notable convenience.