I tried using Chat GPT in Car Play — and it was weirder than I expected | Tech Radar

Overview

News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest smartphones

News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets

Details

Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more

Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards.

I tried using Chat GPT in Car Play — and it was weirder than I expected

Chat GPT as a road trip companion isn't for everyone

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Unlock instant access to exclusive member features.

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.

Apple has spent years turning Car Play into a polished extension of the i Phone for when you're on the road, but Siri isn't much of a conversationalist. If you want to chat with an AI while driving, you can now talk to Chat GPT while using Car Play.

All you need is i OS 26.4 and the Chat GPT app. Connect your i Phone to Car Play as usual. From there, the Chat GPT icon appears alongside your other apps. Tap it, and the interface shifts into the same slightly mysterious orb that you see when talking to Chat GPT in its vocal conversation mode. Apple’s rules keep things voice-only, so everything happens through spoken prompts and spoken replies, with just a couple of buttons for muting or ending the session.

Some limits feel very intentional. You cannot wake it with a phrase, the way you can with Siri. You have to tap the app to start. It cannot control your car or your phone, so you cannot adjust the temperature or skip songs by asking Chat GPT. It's more of a well-informed passenger than an omniscient car intelligence.

Chat GPT comes to Apple Car Play but only if you are willing to talk to a robot

Apple could soon allow Chat GPT and Gemini to on Car Play

I turned on Location in Chat GPT — and it changed how I searched

Thinking of it that way made using it feel a little easier, though, after years of Siri, a talkative car AI assistant feels a little disconcerting.

Chat GPT is now available in Car Play. The voice mode you know, now available on-the-go. Rolling out to i Phone users running i OS 26.4+ where Car Play is supported. https://t.co/a XQq H9MNu G pic.twitter.com/yk 3qd La 99r April 2, 2026

Chat GPT is now available in Car Play. The voice mode you know, now available on-the-go. Rolling out to i Phone users running i OS 26.4+ where Car Play is supported. https://t.co/a XQq H9MNu G pic.twitter.com/yk 3qd La 99r April 2, 2026

I first tried it while driving to pick up coffee. I figured something practical and location-based would make sense for the AI to help with, so I asked it, “What’s something interesting I could do nearby if I have 20 extra minutes?”

Chat GPT first wanted to clarify where I was, as it has no internal map, but once I told it where I was located, it suggested I "take a short walk by the river or look for a local bookstore or café with outdoor seating.”

The response did feel a little bit like a tour guide, and not too different from how Google Maps' new Ask Maps AI tool functions. That said, it was more casual in its recommendations and willing to be diffident about them, even saying, "You might not like that park after the rain since the benches will be wet."

I then tried to think of other ways I might use Chat GPT while driving, where I wouldn't just turn to a Map app, and figured I'd ask Chat GPT directly. The AI suggested it would be great for when I'm bored, or am struck by a question I can't look up the answer to because I'm driving.

At that moment, I was stuck behind some slower-moving vehicles, so I just went with the first question in my head and asked Chat GPT to "Explain why traffic jams happen in simple terms." Like a travel companion with access to the internet, Chat GPT pulled up a useful analogy about how one person slowing down in a line of people walking causes a domino effect of people moving slower and slower.

“Even though there’s no accident or obstacle, the slowdown spreads backward. That’s why traffic jams can seem to appear out of nowhere.”

Switching Chat GPT to voice makes for a much better experience on mobile

Apple Car Play just got a massive AI upgrade in i OS 26.4

I used the Chat GPT ‘gig finder’ prompt to find bands playing near me

Happily, not all my trips in the car are alone. So, with a friend beside me on a slightly longer trip, I decided to see if Chat GPT could offer a fun game for the ride.

“All right. Here’s one called ‘Convince Me.’ I’ll give you two silly options, and one of you has to argue passionately for why one is clearly superior. No hedging, just commit to it. First round: Which is the better road trip snack, pretzels or gummy bears?”

After a pretzel-winning debate, Chat GPT came up with a more complex dilemma to contemplate: "Would you rather have a car that can only play one song forever, or one that changes the radio station every time you say the word ‘the’?”

It wasn't a perfect experience; the lack of navigation data meant it took a while to get restaurant recommendations, for instance. And the lack of a wake word became a little annoying when I had to tap the screen each time for a conversation.

Of course, that friction is probably intentional, as Apple has been cautious about how much attention drivers should give to anything other than the road. Traditional voice assistants are built around commands. Chat GPT, even in this constrained form, leans toward conversation instead. It invites prompts that are open-ended and not about immediate needs.

It's not as good as a real travel companion, but if you really want to simulate a conversation or just need a break from music, Chat GPT will at least provide a new car game or two.

Follow Tech Radar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

And of course you can also follow Tech Radar on Tik Tok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on Whats App too.

➡️ Read our full guide to the best business laptops

1. Best overall: Dell Precision 5690
2. Best on a budget: Acer Aspire 5
3. Best Mac Book: Apple Mac Book Pro 14-inch (M4)

Eric Hal Schwartz is a freelance writer for Tech Radar with more than 15 years of experience covering the intersection of the world and technology. For the last five years, he served as head writer for Voicebot.ai and was on the leading edge of reporting on generative AI and large language models. He's since become an expert on the products of generative AI models, such as Open AI’s Chat GPT, Anthropic’s Claude, Google Gemini, and every other synthetic media tool. His experience runs the gamut of media, including print, digital, broadcast, and live events. Now, he's continuing to tell the stories people want and need to hear about the rapidly evolving AI space and its impact on their lives. Eric is based in New York City.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

1 Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins 'absolutely' wants to put data centers in space

2NASA's stunning new 'Earthset' photo was shot on an ancient Nikon DSLR — here's why

4 How a Cambodian scam center used fake offices to deceive victims

5'Verify before you act': security expert reveals the simple steps you can take to stay safe from deepfakes

Tech Radar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Key Takeaways

• News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest smartphones
• News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets
• Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more
• Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards

• I tried using Chat GPT in Car Play — and it was weirder than I expected