Ever since the start of internet connected vehicles this has been on the table, before it wasn’t really possible to manage subscriptions like this, now it is as easy as changing $SUBSCR_INF_ACP from a 0 to a 1 on your account to enable CarPlay, once you have paid.

Though, to be fair, I would like better integration with the onboard systems, something like Carplay lite.

It would basically present the content on the phone, music, podcasts, audiobooks, maps, etc. to the onboard infotainment system.

Apps with audio media would appear as audio sources, inside the audio sources, any menu would be presented in a standard UI.

Basically, the phone would simply send something like an XML file of how the menu should be displayed, and the infotainment has a rendering engine to render the UI in a style that is integrated with the car’s UI.

That would solve one of the biggest issues with CarPlay/AA, the forced touchscreen.

In my 2021 Seat Leon FR PHEV hatchback, I have a fantastic steeringwheel, it has plenty of excellent controls, regarding media, I have a volume wheel by my left thumb, I can also press it to pause the media, on the right side of the steering wheel I have buttons for skip/previous.

If I could interact with the menus in CarPlay using the thumbwheel and a separate back button, that would be amazing.

The wheel clicks when moving it, so if you could simply have it move the selection on the menu with every click it would be brilliant.

Though I would need another thumbwheel to set the volume…

My point is that if deeper integration of phone media in the infotainment system could enable a UI less dependent on a a touchscreen, I would love to try it.