---
name: axiom-now-playing-carplay
description: CarPlay Now Playing integration patterns. Use when implementing CarPlay audio controls, CPNowPlayingTemplate customization, or debugging CarPlay-specific issues.
license: MIT
---

# CarPlay Integration

**Time cost**: 15-20 minutes (if MPNowPlayingInfoCenter already working)

## Key Insight

**CarPlay uses the SAME MPNowPlayingInfoCenter and MPRemoteCommandCenter as Lock Screen and Control Center.** If your Now Playing integration works on iOS, it automatically works in CarPlay with zero additional code.

## What CarPlay Reads

| iOS Component | CarPlay Display |
|---------------|-----------------|
| `MPNowPlayingInfoCenter.nowPlayingInfo` | CPNowPlayingTemplate metadata (title, artist, artwork) |
| `MPRemoteCommandCenter` handlers | CPNowPlayingTemplate button responses |
| Artwork from `nowPlayingInfo` | Album art in CarPlay UI |

No CarPlay-specific metadata needed. Your existing code works.

## CPNowPlayingTemplate Customization (iOS 14+)

For custom playback controls beyond standard play/pause/skip:

```swift
import CarPlay

@MainActor
class SceneDelegate: UIResponder, UIWindowSceneDelegate, CPTemplateApplicationSceneDelegate {

    func templateApplicationScene(
        _ templateApplicationScene: CPTemplateApplicationScene,
        didConnect interfaceController: CPInterfaceController
    ) {
        // ✅ Configure CPNowPlayingTemplate at connection time (not when pushed)
        let nowPlayingTemplate = CPNowPlayingTemplate.shared

        // Enable Album/Artist browsing (shows button that navigates to album/artist view in your app)
        nowPlayingTemplate.isAlbumArtistButtonEnabled = true

        // Enable Up Next queue (shows button that displays upcoming tracks)
        nowPlayingTemplate.isUpNextButtonEnabled = true

        // Add custom buttons (iOS 14+)
        setupCustomButtons(for: nowPlayingTemplate)
    }

    private func setupCustomButtons(for template: CPNowPlayingTemplate) {
        var buttons: [CPNowPlayingButton] = []

        // Playback rate button
        let rateButton = CPNowPlayingPlaybackRateButton { [weak self] button in
            self?.cyclePlaybackRate()
        }
        buttons.append(rateButton)

        // Shuffle button
        let shuffleButton = CPNowPlayingShuffleButton { [weak self] button in
            self?.toggleShuffle()
        }
        buttons.append(shuffleButton)

        // Repeat button
        let repeatButton = CPNowPlayingRepeatButton { [weak self] button in
            self?.cycleRepeatMode()
        }
        buttons.append(repeatButton)

        // Update template with custom buttons
        template.updateNowPlayingButtons(buttons)
    }
}
```

## Entitlement Requirement

CarPlay requires an entitlement in your Xcode project:

**Info.plist:**
```xml
<key>UIBackgroundModes</key>
<array>
    <string>audio</string>
</array>
```

**Entitlements file:**
```xml
<key>com.apple.developer.carplay-audio</key>
<true/>
```

Without the entitlement, CarPlay won't show your app at all.

## CarPlay-Specific Gotchas

| Issue | Cause | Fix | Time |
|-------|-------|-----|------|
| CarPlay doesn't show app | Missing entitlement | Add `com.apple.developer.carplay-audio` | 5 min |
| Now Playing blank in CarPlay | MPNowPlayingInfoCenter not set | Same fix as Lock Screen (Pattern 1) | 10 min |
| Custom buttons don't appear | Configured after push | Configure at `templateApplicationScene(_:didConnect:)` | 5 min |
| Buttons work on device, not CarPlay simulator | Debugger interference | Test without debugger attached | 1 min |
| Album art missing | Same as iOS issue | Fix MPMediaItemArtwork (Pattern 3) | 15 min |

## Testing CarPlay

**Simulator (Xcode 12+):**
1. I/O → External Displays → CarPlay
2. Tap CarPlay display
3. Find your app in Audio section
4. **Important**: Run without debugger for reliable testing (debugger can interfere with CarPlay audio session activation)

**Real Vehicle:**
Requires entitlement approval from Apple (automatic for apps with `UIBackgroundModes` audio; no manual request needed).

## Verification

- [ ] App appears in CarPlay Audio section
- [ ] Now Playing shows correct metadata
- [ ] Album artwork displays
- [ ] Play/pause/skip buttons respond
- [ ] Custom buttons (if any) appear and work
- [ ] Tested both with and without debugger

## Resources

**Skills**: axiom-now-playing, axiom-now-playing-musickit


---
Source attribution: CharlesWiltgen
Original project: https://github.com/CharlesWiltgen/Axiom/blob/bd56d75e2922d96d9d6803889d65273ccb1e3aa8/axiom-codex/skills/axiom-now-playing-carplay/SKILL.md
License: MIT
License information: https://opensource.org/license/mit
Original upstream instructions; downloaded from Dave AI.

## Upstream license notice

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2025 Charles Wiltgen

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.



# Dave AI resource metadata

Creator / publisher: CharlesWiltgen
Original project: https://github.com/CharlesWiltgen/Axiom/blob/bd56d75e2922d96d9d6803889d65273ccb1e3aa8/axiom-codex/skills/axiom-now-playing-carplay/SKILL.md
Attribution basis: Recovered original package and original project license at a pinned revision

Fields of work: Development & Engineering
Roles: Backend Developer, Mobile Developer
Specialties: Backend, Mobile
Tools: Xcode
Country applicability: Country not specified
Classification basis: Source catalog labels
Instruction SHA-256: f50a663b7159ace4ae2fe29585c986a9572ff41df8f6da1834cfd254ec637bb8
Metadata reviewed: 2026-10-27
This metadata supersedes earlier Dave AI catalog attribution. Original instruction and supporting files are preserved.