CarPlay Navigation Reference

API and framework reference for CarPlay turn-by-turn navigation apps. Covers the base view contract, route guidance lifecycle, instrument cluster and HUD metadata, voice prompts, multitouch input (iOS 26+), and the additional displays that only navigation apps can drive.

When to Use This Reference

Use this reference when:

• Implementing the templateApplicationScene(_:didConnect:to:) lifecycle for a navigation app
• Drawing into the CarPlay base view and you need to know what is and isn't allowed
• Wiring CPMapTemplate route previews, route choice panels, and trip start
• Driving turn-by-turn updates through CPNavigationSession (maneuvers, estimates, alerts, end/pause/resume)
• Populating the CarPlay Dashboard map (iOS 13.4+), instrument cluster (iOS 16.4+), or HUD metadata (iOS 17.4+)
• Handling multitouch zoom, pitch, and rotate callbacks on CPMapTemplate (iOS 26+, including CarPlay Ultra)
• Coordinating voice prompts with the vehicle's audio system without stealing the audio session
• Testing across the full range of CarPlay screen sizes and cluster configurations

Example Prompts

Questions you can ask Claude that will draw from this reference:

• "What exactly can I draw in the CarPlay navigation base view?"
• "How do I configure the UIApplicationSceneManifest for a navigation app with Dashboard and instrument cluster?"
• "What's the route guidance lifecycle from destination selection through trip end?"
• "How do I provide lane guidance using the second maneuver?"
• "Which maneuver metadata appears in the instrument cluster vs the HUD?"
• "How do I update trip estimates without spamming the system?"
• "What multitouch gestures does CPMapTemplate deliver on iOS 26+?"
• "How do I handle mapTemplateDidCancelNavigation when the car's native nav takes over?"

What's Covered

• Supported displays matrix — center display (iOS 12), CarPlay Dashboard (iOS 13.4), instrument cluster (iOS 16.4), HUD metadata (iOS 17.4) — and the rule that you must support all capabilities your app's screens enable
• Base view contract — exclusively a map, no overlays or UI; how to receive contentStyle light/dark signals; safe area handling around buttons
• Application scene manifest for declaring main CarPlay, Dashboard, and instrument cluster scenes, plus the corresponding CPTemplateApplicationScene delegate roles
• Scene delegate lifecycle — receiving CPInterfaceController and CPWindow, retaining both for the session, setting the root map template
• Route guidance lifecycle — destination selection (via list/grid/search/voice-control templates with the 5-level depth rule), trip preview panel (up to 12 CPTrip objects, route choice descriptions in descending length order), choose-route-and-start-guidance, in-guidance maneuver updates, end guidance, re-route (iOS 17.4+ via resumeTrip)
• CPManeuver content — symbol set (light/dark variants), instruction variants in descending length order, attributed instruction variants with embedded images, maneuver metadata (maneuverType, maneuverState, junctionType, trafficSide, lane guidance)
• Lane guidance via the second maneuver — the 120×18 pt symbol-only convention and CPManeuverDisplayStyleSymbolOnly
• Estimate updates — CPNavigationSession.updateEstimates(_:for:) for per-maneuver, CPMapTemplate.updateEstimates(_:for:) for trip-level, and the "significant changes only" guidance
• Navigation alerts — CPNavigationAlert with title and subtitle variants, primary/secondary actions, auto-dismiss duration, and the iOS 16+ enhancements (longer subtitles, no-button alerts, custom colored buttons)
• Cancellation from car's native nav — mapTemplateDidCancelNavigation handling required by navigation rule #6
• Instrument cluster and HUD metadata — what content the cluster renders vs HUD, how maneuver metadata maps to each, and iOS 17.4+ HUD-specific patterns
• Voice prompts and audio — mixing with the vehicle's audio without activating an unnecessary session
• Multitouch (iOS 26+) — zoom (pinch, double-tap, two-finger double-tap), pitch (two-finger slide up/down), rotate (two-finger clockwise/counterclockwise), and the CarPlay Ultra implication that multitouch is always available
• Testing matrix — screen sizes from 748×456 to 1920×720, light/dark content style coverage, cluster configurations, CarPlay Simulator vs Xcode Simulator vs real-vehicle gaps

Documentation Scope

This page documents the carplay-navigation-ref skill — the framework-and-API half for CarPlay navigation apps.

• For the 10 navigation-specific design rules (base-view restriction, voice control scope, audio handling, native-nav cancellation), see CarPlay HIG. Start there before any navigation implementation work.
• For template catalog and per-category availability across all CarPlay app types, see CarPlay Templates Reference
• For Now Playing in CarPlay (audio apps and the CPNowPlayingTemplate mechanics), see Now Playing CarPlay Reference

Resources

Primary sources:

• CarPlay Developer Guide (Feb 2026) — base view (p.33), navigation rules (p.6), route guidance lifecycle (p.41-45), instrument cluster and HUD (p.32, p.46), multitouch (p.46), scene manifest (p.58-59)

WWDC: 2025-216, 2022-10016, 2020-10635, 2018-213