iOS 27’s new CarPlay features are great, but only these iPhones can actually use them

Apple’s iOS 27 update adds several CarPlay improvements, including a Now Playing progress bar and mini-player, better reliability, new wallpapers, route sharing and video playback while parked. The changes make CarPlay more capable, but access to some features depends on both the iPhone model and car manufacturer support.

The update runs on iPhone 11 and later, while Siri AI in CarPlay requires an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16 or later. Older compatible phones still get features such as the mini-player and wallpapers, but not Siri AI; the feature is also unavailable in the European Union. Video playback is restricted to when the car is parked, and manufacturers must support it.