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Carmakers have bundled Apple CarPlay and Android Auto together for so long that many shoppers assume they’re a packaged deal. In most new cars, both smartphone projection systems appear side-by-side on the infotainment screen, but the idea that every car with Apple CarPlay includes Android Auto wasn’t always true, and it still isn’t for a few exceptions on the market.

Apple announced its iPhone projector system, or “iOS in the Car,” in 2013, and launched it as “CarPlay” in 2014, which became available on the Kia Soul and the Ferrari FF the same year. However, it wasn’t until 2016 that the in-car infotainment system became widely available in models from General Motors, Hyundai, Honda, and Volkswagen. In 2017, CarPlay was also available on Ford and BMW vehicles.

Google, on the other hand, announced Android Auto at its I/O conference in 2014, but the system was only available to the public in March 2015. Early adopters included Hyundai in 2015, while brands like Chevrolet, GMC, and Honda added support in 2016. Comparatively, it was not until 2018 that Android Auto reached mass-market Toyota cars, and in 2020, it made its way into a BMW’s cabin (three years after Apple CarPlay was already available).

Toyota/Rivian/Tesla

Between 2017 and 2020, many models from top brands like Toyota and BMW lacked Android Auto, but as the iPhone and Android user base evened out, Google’s infotainment software quickly became a standard feature. In 2025, drivers expect their car’s screen to mirror the user interface and apps they’re familiar with, which is why the most popular U.S. cars, including the Ford F-150, the 2026 Toyota RAV4, and the 2026 Chevrolet Silverado, include both systems by default.  

However, even today, some models still omit Android Auto due to brand decisions, hardware limitations, or long-term software strategies. The 2025 Toyota GR Supra, for example, still doesn’t include Android Auto. It uses an older, BMW-sourced infotainment system that never received support for Google’s platform, even though the rest of Toyota’s 2025 lineup offers it. The electric pickup truck, Rivian R1T, takes a different route altogether. It skips both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto because the company remains committed to providing an in-house, tightly integrated software experience.

While Tesla has famously avoided third-party phone projection since its inception, the company is reportedly working on adding Apple CarPlay in the future (there’s no word about Android Auto in Tesla, though). Popular Porsche models like the 718 Cayman and the Macan also require an iPhone to access the supported infotainment system, leaving Android users with Bluetooth and native apps as their only options.

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While these are a few examples within a brand’s lineup, General Motors has already announced plans to phase out both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay in its upcoming vehicles, as it develops its own software platform based on Google’s Android Automotive OS. The outliers are far less than they used to be a couple of years ago, but they do exist, and they can easily catch you off guard if you’re not paying attention to the details. That’s why it is worth taking some time to verify what the native infotainment screen supports.

Whether you’re buying a new car or a used one that’s a couple of years old, check the spec sheet instead of assuming that both infotainment platforms are included, and confirm whether the manufacturer is providing a wired or wireless connection. Older trims or fleet models might still include support for only one platform, and it’s more likely to be Apple CarPlay than Android Auto. The same goes for aftermarket infotainment units; the budget replacements could include Apple’s projection system, but they might skip Android Auto entirely. 

Read the fine print and choose a setup only when you’re absolutely sure. We’d also advise testing the car’s infotainment system with your Android smartphone at the dealership or the used-car lot to ensure everything works properly.