Apple is preparing to let drivers talk to ChatGPT and other AI chatbots directly from CarPlay as part of the upcoming iOS 26.4 software update, giving iPhone users new ways to ask complex questions and get detailed responses while on the road.
What Apple is Changing
According to reports, Apple will soon support third-party AI assistant apps inside CarPlay, expanding beyond Siri for the first time. These apps will run as CarPlay-compatible chatbot services, so drivers can speak with tools such as ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, and Anthropic's Claude through their car's display and audio system.
Apple is expected to roll out this support "within the coming months," in line with a broader Apple Intelligence and Siri upgrade tied to iOS 26.4, according to Mashable.
Apple is also working on a more advanced Siri that uses large language models to handle more complex requests, keep context between questions, and perform multi-step actions across apps.
In iOS 26.4, this smarter Siri will sit alongside the new option to open separate AI chatbot apps in CarPlay, giving drivers a choice between Apple's assistant and third-party bots.
How AI Chatbots Will Work in CarPlay
Third-party AI assistants in CarPlay will be voice-controlled, letting drivers ask open-ended questions, request summaries, or get help drafting messages while keeping their hands on the wheel.
Developers such as OpenAI and Google will be able to ship dedicated CarPlay versions of their apps, so users can launch ChatGPT or Gemini from the CarPlay home screen and then interact using the car's microphone and speakers, UberGizmo reported.
However, these AI apps will not replace Siri as the main in-car assistant. Drivers will still trigger Siri with the usual steering wheel or dashboard controls, and Siri will continue to handle core functions like navigation, calls, and media playback by default.
To talk to ChatGPT or another chatbot, users will need to open that specific app inside CarPlay first, rather than using its own wake word.
Safety, Timing, and What's Next
Apple's approach keeps Siri at the center of the CarPlay experience while opening the door for richer, more conversational AI tools when drivers need them. The company is positioning these chatbots mainly for complex questions and content generation, while still enforcing its usual CarPlay safety rules around minimizing distraction.
The AI chatbot support is expected to arrive with iOS 26.4 as part of Apple's ongoing Apple Intelligence rollout, which also includes new web-answering and writing features powered by ChatGPT in Siri and system tools.
For drivers, the update means that in the near future, asking "ChatGPT, explain this traffic alert" or "summarize my last three emails" from the driver's seat could become a routine part of using CarPlay, as per Engadget.
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