Apple’s iOS 26 Liquid Glass CarPlay Arrives in Tesla

While Tesla doesn’t offer CarPlay natively, some Model Y owners have found a way to bring it into their cars complete with the upcoming “Liquid Glass” UI overhaul in iOS 26, as spotted by TeslaNorth.

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During this week’s WWDC 2025 event, Apple unveiled a sweeping redesign across its platforms—iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, visionOS, and its newly renamed CarPlay Ultra. Dubbed “Liquid Glass,” this translucent, high-performance visual theme aims to unify Apple’s user experience, with smooth animations and depth effects powered by the latest hardware.

CarPlay Ultra, the next-gen CarPlay, takes this further by integrating cockpit controls—such as climate and seat adjustments—into the Apple ecosystem and rolling out initially via Aston Martin.

Meanwhile, Tesla’s headline-grabbing infotainment system still doesn’t officially support CarPlay or Android Auto, instead relying on its in-house software. But eager owners have taken matters into their own hands. One standout solution involves using a Raspberry Pi and an Android build—a clever hack that runs CarPlay through Tesla’s browser, introduced by developer Michał Gapiński.

Early adopters report it delivers Apple Maps, Apple Music, and voice controls via Siri, with the volunteer effort maturing over time to support hardware acceleration, lossless audio, and USB tethering. An even easier option gaining traction is the Carlinkit T2C wireless adapter.

Simply plug it into the Model Y’s USB port, connect your iPhone via Bluetooth and hotspot, and CarPlay appears in the vehicle’s browser interface—no Raspberry Pi required. The Carlinkit solution provides seamless access to navigation apps like Apple Maps and Waze, streaming services, messaging, and Siri voice commands, effectively bringing full CarPlay functionality to a Tesla that doesn’t officially support it.

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Tesla’s refusal to adopt CarPlay by design means these external fixes aren’t officially supported—and may break with future software updates. But for many Model Y drivers, the chance to control music, maps, and messages via Apple’s sleek Liquid Glass design makes the effort worthwhile.

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