CarPlay is a useful tool while driving, especially when you want to control music, make a call, or send a quick text without taking your eyes off the road. It’s designed to be safer to use, but only if you’re taking advantage of voice commands.
There are several voice commands in CarPlay that many people may not realize they can use beyond controlling media and communicating with others. Here are eight commands you should know the next time you are driving with CarPlay.
1
Making a call
Make a call easily without going through your contact list
One of the iPhone’s primary features is making calls, and with CarPlay, you can do that without touching your phone or scrolling through your contact list. Simply say, “Call [contact’s name],” and the phone will begin dialing.
This is useful when you need to return a call during a long drive or contact someone for clarification on directions as you near your destination.
However, this does not apply only to regular phone calls, but you can also place FaceTime audio calls. Just say, “FaceTime audio [contact’s name],” and the phone will start ringing.
Standard FaceTime video calls, on the other hand, are disabled while your iPhone is connected to CarPlay, so the other person will not see you.
2
Send a text
Text someone without needing to physically type it
Same as making phone calls, you can also send a text message using your voice. This is much safer than reaching for your phone and typing out a message while driving.
Just say, “Send a message to [contact’s name],” and Siri will read the message back so you can confirm it, edit it, or cancel sending it. If you confirm the message is ready, Siri will then send it to the correct person.
Additionally, you can send messages through third-party apps, such as WhatsApp. Just say, “Send a [app’s name] message to [contact’s name],” and then proceed the same way you would with other messages.
3
Control your music
Play a song, album, playlist, or artist with your voice
Playing music in the car is usually a must. If you’re like me, it’s the first thing you do after buckling up.
Through CarPlay, you can easily control the media playing. Simply say, “Play [song title, album title, playlist title, or artist’s name],” and Siri will confirm the request and begin playback.
Furthermore, Apple Music is not the only streaming service you can use with CarPlay. You can say, “Hey Siri, play [song, playlist, album, or artist] on Spotify,” and Siri will play the music through that streaming service.
You can also control your media with your voice to skip, repeat, or replay a song.
4
Get directions
Get directions to a specific destination
One of the main reasons to use CarPlay is its navigation system. Its interface is far better than those found on car manufacturers’ systems and works much more reliably.
To get to your destination, just say “Give me directions to [destination name or address],” and Siri will start the journey.
This works not only with Apple Maps but also with other navigation apps such as Google Maps or Waze. Just say, “Get directions to [destination or address] using Waze,” and the app will open ready to navigate you there.
If you’re parked, you can type in your destination, but it’s faster and easier to ask verbally—especially when you’re driving and need directions quickly.
5
Create reminders
Don’t forget, just ask Siri to create one in the car
We’ve all been there: you’re driving and suddenly remember something you need to do. You tell yourself not to forget, but later it slips your mind.
With CarPlay, you can ask Siri to create a reminder. Simply say, “Siri, remind me to [action],” and it will be added to your reminders list.
There have been many times while driving when I remembered items I needed to pick up at the store, stops I had to make before getting home, or tasks I needed to handle once I arrived. Being able to create reminders while driving has saved me countless times from forgetting important things.
Furthermore, you can view these reminders through the Reminders widget in CarPlay.
6
Know your ETA
Find out how far you are from your destination
While the ETA appears at the bottom of the screen in the Maps app or on the CarPlay Dashboard, it is not always visible when using other apps. This can happen if you are controlling music, listening to or responding to messages, or preparing to make a phone call and want to know how long you have to talk.
If you need to know your ETA but are not in the right app to see it, you can ask Siri, “What’s my ETA?” Siri will then tell you how long it will take to reach your destination.
7
Use ChatGPT
Tap into ChatGPT with Siri and Apple Intelligence
As you already know, you can use Siri with CarPlay to ask a wide range of questions. However, Siri doesn’t know everything, so you may want to tap into ChatGPT’s knowledge.
With iOS 18.2, Apple expanded its intelligence system to integrate with ChatGPT. This means that, just like on other Apple Intelligence-compatible devices, you can say to Siri, “Ask ChatGPT [question],” and it will respond with the AI bot’s answer.
You will know ChatGPT is being used when the loading animation around the car’s infotainment screen changes from multicolored to white, and Siri takes a little longer to respond.
This has been helpful when I’m driving and think of a specific question or notice something that sparks my curiosity. For example, I once saw a sign I did not fully understand, so I asked ChatGPT through Siri what it meant and quickly got an answer.
8
Use HomeKit and Siri Shortcuts
Control your smart devices and shortcuts while driving
While there is no app on the CarPlay home screen, you can still control your HomeKit devices with your voice while driving. Just as you would ask Siri on your iPhone or a HomePod, you can do the same in your car.
You can say, “Siri, turn on [smart home device],” and an animation will confirm the action. You can also run scenes by saying their name, and Siri will activate them.
Additionally, you can run Siri Shortcuts. Just say, “Siri, [shortcut name],” and it will execute. This can be helpful for tasks like setting your security system, which I control through a Siri Shortcut.
There is also a HomeKit widget you can use to control your devices directly from CarPlay. This is helpful if you want to control multiple accessories and scenes with just a couple of taps.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
