Apple Maps will soon tell you where to go with your car – even without an iPhone: In the future, vehicle manufacturers will be able to integrate Apple’s map service directly into their on-board system. For this purpose, Apple announced a new software kit called “MapKit for Automotive SDK” on Thursday. The first buyer is the US car manufacturer Ford, which wants to deliver vehicles from its new UEV platform with Apple Maps ex works, announced for 2027. The map service provides navigation plus traffic information and is specifically optimized for route guidance for electric vehicles – including preconditioning the battery, according to the statement.
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Apple road data for Ford’s driving assistance
Ford also wants to use road data from Apple’s map service to further develop its driving assistance systems. This should improve assisted, hands-free driving on highways. Apple Maps will first be integrated into an electric pickup truck planned by Ford, which will be launched on the US market next year for around $30,000. There is currently no concrete information about a launch of the UEV platform with Apple Maps integration in Europe.
Ford and Apple have been working together on Apple Maps for a long time: The Ford Mustang Mach-E is one of the few models that can transmit its charge level to Apple’s Maps (in CarPlay) for customized route planning.
The vehicles that integrate Apple Maps directly into the onboard system will continue to support CarPlay to provide standard iPhone integration, Ford emphasized in the joint announcement with Apple. Ford – like other major manufacturers – has not yet signaled any interest in CarPlay Ultra.
Soon advertising in Apple Maps
Concrete details about Apple’s “MapKit for Automotive SDK” are still pending. Apple emphasized that the same data protection standards apply to the SDK as to normal use of the map app: The company does not link navigation data with Apple account information. At the same time, collected location data should not be traceable to individual users. Integration into on-board systems from larger vehicle manufacturers could significantly increase the spread of Apple Cards. This is increasingly relevant for Apple, as the service now serves as a central additional advertising space: The map app in the USA and Canada will soon display advertisements for the first time when searching for shops in the area.
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