Apple CarPlay Good But Won't Fit In With These Cars, Xpeng CEO Says

Xpeng Inc (NYSE: XPEV) chairman and CEO He Xiaopeng believes Apple Inc’s (NASDAQ: AAPL) CarPlay is a good solution for the current generation of cars, but not for the next generation of smart cars, CnEVpost reported on Wednesday, citing the executive’s social media post.

What Happened: Apple is expanding the CarPlay service to deeply integrate it with a vehicle’s hardware.

Xiaopeng said the CarPlay’s update would be beneficial for iPhone users in terms of experience, adding that "some car companies" had similar views as well.

The executive did not mention any names but had hinted at local rivals such as Nio Inc (NYSE: NIO) and others, the report said.

See Also: Apple Is Reinventing CarPlay: Here's How It Will Change Drivers' Experience

Why It Matters: Apple on Monday revealed it is making key changes to its CarPlay software that will significantly lift its capabilities, including accessing real-time vehicle-related features such as temperature control, speed, fuel level, and more.

The tech giant said it is reinventing the CarPlay offering and is in talks with at least 14 automakers including Ford Motor Co (NYSE: F) and others.

Apple said over 98% of cars in the U.S. have Apple CarPlay and that 79% of buyers only consider a car that works with the feature.

Price Action: Nio closed 2.6% higher at $19.65 on Tuesday.