Apple CarPlay-equipped cars and SUVs now get Google Maps

Earlier this year, Apple announced that third-party navigation apps would receive permission to be integrated into Apple CarPlay. Now thanks to an update to iPhone’s latest iOS, you can now use the Google Maps app while driving, as opposed to its native program, Apple Maps.

Users will have to update their iPhone to the latest iOS 12 and Google Maps to version 5.0 for the navigation application to appear on their car’s dashboard the next time the phone is connected.

This news will be a welcome relief to iPhone users, especially in India. Unlike other countries where Apple CarPlay came bundled with Apple Maps, in India, Apple’s phone projection system did not include any navigation service. The update will also allow other navigation apps like Waze and Here to be available for Apple CarPlay users.

Apple CarPlay is available in India on a wide range of cars from hatchbacks like the Maruti Suzuki Swift, Hyundai Grand i10 and Honda Jazz to SUVs like the Tata Nexon, Hyundai Creta and Jeep Compass. Even luxury cars like the BMW 3-series, Mercedes-Benz E-class and Jaguar XE come equipped with the Apple CarPlay infotainment system, which is becoming the norm.