Native CarPlay and AirPlay Now Running on Tesla, With Siri [VIDEOS]

Tesla owners are still waiting for official Apple CarPlay support, but Michał Gapiński and Maciej Wilczyński have demonstrated CarPlay and AirPlay running natively on a Tesla display. Their setup runs on an AMD Ryzen-powered infotainment system using a custom environment enabled by @CoilShift.

Gapiński, known for the Tesla Android Project that brought CarPlay to Tesla screens through an unofficial workaround over four years ago, previously relied on a Raspberry Pi and the browser. This new approach is integrated directly into the vehicle’s software, complete with a dedicated app.

Native CarPlay on a Tesla Screen

Gapiński described this as the world’s first native CarPlay implementation in a Tesla and said it took over five years to deliver a native port. The solution runs without dongles or the browser and operates on bare metal.

In the videos, a CarPlay icon appears in the app launcher alongside Tesla’s own apps such as Caraoke, YouTube, and Hulu. Launching it opens CarPlay as a native window on the right side of the screen while Tesla’s vehicle controls remain on the left. The full CarPlay interface is available, including Phone, Messages, Apple Music, Podcasts, and third-party apps like Google Maps, ChatGPT, and Grok, with an option to expand CarPlay to full screen.

Siri works through the car’s microphones, and lossless audio is supported. The cabin’s RGB ambient lighting also reacts to music played via Apple Music in CarPlay.

AirPlay Turns Your Tesla Into an External Display

Wilczyński showcased AirPlay as another feature unlocked by CoilShift. An AirPlay app in the dock waits for a connection; selecting the Tesla screen as a display in MacBook settings mirrors the Mac desktop onto the car’s screen. This early preview currently shows black borders, with a planned update to fill the entire display.

Despite rumors of official AirPlay support, Wilczyński said he found no existing plumbing for it in Tesla’s firmware. He and Gapiński built the capability from scratch.

Tesla’s Official CarPlay Is Still Coming

Neither developer has confirmed whether these features will be released to other owners. Both run in a modified environment, similar to the setup Wilczyński used to unlock Tesla’s hidden Automations feature that is already present in code ahead of a wider rollout.

The demonstration shows that native CarPlay on a Tesla is feasible and can run smoothly. Tesla’s own implementation remains in development: a report last fall said Tesla was working on an official CarPlay port, and reports earlier this year indicated it had not been dropped. Tesla is reportedly working directly with Apple to keep Apple Maps in sync with FSD. Apple is also adding AirPlay to CarPlay, and Tesla’s official implementation is expected to include it. Official CarPlay is expected to launch with this year’s Holiday Update.