Tesla may finally be bringing CarPlay to its electric cars

While automakers like General Motors have begun to back away from Apple CarPlay, Tesla is reportedly working on integrating the system into its vehicles’ software suite.

The feature is in development, according to a Bloomberg report, which noted that the effort could be canceled before it is released to the public.

The move will represent a sea change for the automaker. Tesla has sidestepped requests from current and potential customers to add CarPlay capability to its infotainment system. Apple CarPlay, as well as rival Android Auto, allows drivers to display their smartphone and many of its apps on the car’s infotainment screen. Tesla is focusing on standard CarPlay and not Apple’s next-generation, more capable version called CarPlay Ultra.

Instead of CarPlay or Android Auto, Tesla has added native apps for music streaming services, including Apple Music, Spotify, and Tidal. Based on user reports, the quality of these apps was mixed. These apps also require customers to subscribe to Tesla’s premium connectivity package, which costs $9.99 per month or $99 per year.

The addition of CarPlay may tempt some drivers who wrote off Tesla to reconsider their decisions. Half of drivers surveyed by McKinsey two years ago said they wouldn’t buy any car that lacked CarPlay or Android Auto.