CarPlay can now control a Porsche's air conditioning & more

Porsche has updated a companion app for its cars that makes it easier for drivers to manage various functions of the vehicle from within the CarPlay interface.

Announced as an update on Monday, the My Porsche app provides access to a number of elements of the vehicle, including the level of charge in the battery, setting navigation system destinations, and to adjust the air conditioning. In an update to the app, these functions are now accessible within CarPlay.

As part of the update, drivers can now see images of the specific model of car they are driving within CarPlay, sound profiles, radio station controls, climate control, and ambient lighting. Using quick actions in CarPlay, the various settings can be set inside wellness modes such as "relax" or "warm up," and can be summoned using Siri.

The My Porsche App also links accounts with third-party services within Porsche Communication Management, such as Apple Music, enabling them to be used through the main vehicle interface.

"We are excited to further improve the My Porsche App and using the capabilities of Apple CarPlay to deliver a truly enhanced customer experience," said Mattias Ulbrich, CEO of Porsche Digital and CIO Porsche AG. "Technology and digitization are crucial factors for the enduring fascination of our brand - now and in the next 75 years."

Porsche claims the move makes it the first automotive manufacturer to enable easier access of vehicle functions within CarPlay.

Apple's plans for CarPlay follow the same lines as Porsche's app changes. During WWDC 2022, Apple previewed a vision of CarPlay where it more deeply integrates with the vehicle, providing access to in-car features, including communications with real-time systems within the vehicle itself.

Porsche was among the list of automakers who were linked to the next-gen CarPlay effort.