I tried using ChatGPT in CarPlay and it was weirder than I expected

Date:
Tue, 07 Apr 2026 18:00:00 +0000

Description:
Using ChatGPT in CarPlay turns routine drives into more conversational and entertaining experiences

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Tech Radar Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Become a Member in Seconds Unlock instant access to exclusive member
features. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting
your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Join the club Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter Apple has spent years turning CarPlay into a polished extension of the iPhone for when you're on the road, but Siri isn't much of a conversationalist. If you want to chat with an AI while driving, you can now talk to ChatGPT while using CarPlay.

All you need is iOS 26.4 and the ChatGPT app. Connect your iPhone to CarPlay as usual. From there, the ChatGPT icon appears alongside your other apps. Tap it, and the interface shifts into the same slightly mysterious orb that you see when talking to ChatGPT in its vocal conversation mode . Apples rules
keep things voice-only, so everything happens through spoken prompts and spoken replies, with just a couple of buttons for muting or ending the session. Some limits feel very intentional. You cannot wake it with a phrase, the way you can with Siri. You have to tap the app to start. It cannot
control your car or your phone, so you cannot adjust the temperature or skip songs by asking ChatGPT. It's more of a well-informed passenger than an omniscient car intelligence. Article continues below You may like ChatGPT comes to Apple CarPlay but only if you are willing to talk to a robot Apple could soon allow ChatGPT and Gemini to on CarPlay Switching ChatGPT to voice makes for a much better experience on mobile Thinking of it that way made using it feel a little easier, though, after years of Siri, a talkative car
AI assistant feels a little disconcerting. ChatGPT is now available in CarPlay.The voice mode you know, now available on-the-go.Rolling out to
iPhone users running iOS 26.4+ where CarPlay is supported. https://t.co/aXQqH9MNuG pic.twitter.com/yk3qdLa99r April 2, 2026 I first
tried it while driving to pick up coffee. I figured something practical and location-based would make sense for the AI to help with, so I asked it, Whats something interesting I could do nearby if I have 20 extra minutes?

ChatGPT first wanted to clarify where I was, as it has no internal map, but once I told it where I was located, it suggested I "take a short walk by the river or look for a local bookstore or caf with outdoor seating.

The response did feel a little bit like a tour guide, and not too different from how Google Maps ' new Ask Maps AI tool functions. That said, it was more casual in its recommendations and willing to be diffident about them, even saying, "You might not like that park after the rain since the benches will
be wet." Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

I then tried to think of other ways I might use ChatGPT while driving, where
I wouldn't just turn to a Map app, and figured I'd ask ChatGPT directly. The AI suggested it would be great for when I'm bored, or am struck by a question I can't look up the answer to because I'm driving.

At that moment, I was stuck behind some slower-moving vehicles, so I just
went with the first question in my head and asked ChatGPT to "Explain why traffic jams happen in simple terms." Like a travel companion with access to the internet, ChatGPT pulled up a useful analogy about how one person slowing down in a line of people walking causes a domino effect of people moving slower and slower.

Even though theres no accident or obstacle, the slowdown spreads backward. Thats why traffic jams can seem to appear out of nowhere. What to read next I turned on Location in ChatGPT and it changed how I searched Apple CarPlay just got a massive AI upgrade in iOS 26.4 I used the ChatGPT gig finder
prompt to find bands playing near me Car games Happily, not all my trips in the car are alone. So, with a friend beside me on a slightly longer trip, I decided to see if ChatGPT could offer a fun game for the ride.

All right. Heres one called Convince Me. Ill give you two silly options, and one of you has to argue passionately for why one is clearly superior. No hedging, just commit to it. First round: Which is the better road trip snack, pretzels or gummy bears?

After a pretzel-winning debate, ChatGPT came up with a more complex dilemma
to contemplate: "Would you rather have a car that can only play one song forever, or one that changes the radio station every time you say the word the? A decent but far from perfect companion It wasn't a perfect experience; the lack of navigation data meant it took a while to get restaurant recommendations, for instance. And the lack of a wake word became a little annoying when I had to tap the screen each time for a conversation.

Of course, that friction is probably intentional, as Apple has been cautious about how much attention drivers should give to anything other than the road. Traditional voice assistants are built around commands. ChatGPT, even in this constrained form, leans toward conversation instead. It invites prompts that are open-ended and not about immediate needs.

It's not as good as a real travel companion, but if you really want to simulate a conversation or just need a break from music, ChatGPT will at
least provide a new car game or two. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/ai-platforms-assistants/chatgpt/i-tried-using-chatgp t-in-carplay-and-it-was-weirder-than-i-expected


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