ChatGPT and Perplexity AI on CarPlay: Who is the Better Co-Pilot?

Siri, a Limited Voice Assistant for Complex Tasks

Siri is often the voice assistant of choice for iPhone users connected to Apple CarPlay. It is particularly effective for simple interactive tasks like playing music, getting directions, setting reminders, or sending messages. However, when it comes to more complex questions, Siri shows its limitations, where an artificial intelligence (AI) could provide better responses.

With the arrival of CarPlay support for third-party voice assistants, users can now interact vocally with popular AI applications directly from their cars. ChatGPT and Perplexity AI are two of these assistants that allow for voice conversations in the car, similar to those one might have at home or elsewhere. This opens the door to a new way of asking questions, making requests, and engaging in discussions.

The Terms of Use for ChatGPT and Perplexity AI

A major hurdle arises, however: access to these assistants. ChatGPT works with CarPlay regardless of the type of account you have, whether it is free or paid (Go, Plus, or Pro). In contrast, to use Perplexity AI, you need to subscribe to the Pro version, typically charged at $20 per month. However, there are tricks to obtain a free year of Perplexity Pro, as explained in an article by my colleague at ZDNET, Artie Beaty.

Prerequisites to Get Started

To begin, you need an iPhone and a vehicle compatible with CarPlay. In my case, my 2025 Toyota Camry is equipped with this feature, allowing me to use it. If you are unsure about your car or iPhone's compatibility, Apple provides a list of compatible models on the dedicated CarPlay page.

Next, ensure that the ChatGPT and Perplexity apps are up to date on your iPhone. To do this, go to the App Store, tap on your profile icon, select "App Updates," and refresh the page to download the latest versions if necessary.

Your iPhone must also be running iOS 26.4 or later, as this update introduced CarPlay support for third-party AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google Gemini, and Claude. The companies behind these AIs must leverage this new support, with OpenAI and Perplexity leading the way.

Once all these criteria are met, start your car and connect your iPhone, either wirelessly or via Bluetooth. My Camry has wireless charging and syncing, which saves me from plugging it into a USB port, unlike my previous vehicle.

After connecting your phone, the icons for ChatGPT and Perplexity should appear on the CarPlay dashboard screen. If not, go to "Settings" on your iPhone, select "General," then tap on "CarPlay." Select your car, then tap on "Apps." You will see a list of all apps compatible with CarPlay, among which should be ChatGPT and Perplexity.

You can then rearrange the two apps in the list by dragging them with the hamburger icon of three lines. I chose to place them higher for easy access from my main screen.

To use ChatGPT, tap the icon on the CarPlay screen, then choose "New Voice Conversation." Wait for the connection to establish, as the text on the screen changes from "Connecting" to "Listening." You can then start your conversation, and ChatGPT will respond as usual.

For Perplexity AI, tap the icon on the screen, then tap "Connect." When the screen prompts you to "ask anything," you can begin your discussion.

Comparing Assistant Performance

I recently tested ChatGPT and Perplexity to evaluate their respective performances. I asked similar questions and made requests to determine which of the two stands out. Here are the tasks I submitted to them and their responses.

Driving Directions

Usually, I ask Siri for directions, but I wanted to see if ChatGPT or Perplexity could also provide them. ChatGPT cannot give directions as it cannot access my location. In contrast, Perplexity was able to handle it. I asked for directions to Faneuil Hall in Boston. After requesting access to my location, Perplexity directed me to Apple Maps with a map and the necessary steps.

Winner: Perplexity

Local Restaurant Recommendations

Next, I asked each to recommend a local Mexican restaurant. ChatGPT could not help as it cannot see my location. Perplexity named several nearby restaurants and asked which one I preferred. After I chose the one I wanted, the AI displayed directions via Apple Maps.

Winner: Perplexity

Playing Music

Requesting music is another task I reserve for Siri. And it is still the best option. ChatGPT cannot play music from a service as it does not have access to my iPhone. Perplexity is supposed to be able to play tracks from Apple Music and Spotify. Outside of the car and CarPlay, I used the Perplexity app to play specific songs from Spotify, which worked well. However, the AI failed when I asked it to play a song from Spotify in the car via CarPlay. The song appeared in the Spotify app on my iPhone, but I had to start it manually, which contradicts the hands-free approach.

Winner: None

Communicating with People

With ChatGPT and Perplexity, I tried to make a phone call, send a text message, and send an email. Neither could accomplish these tasks due to restrictions on accessing personal information on my phone. So I will stick with Siri for these requests.

Winner: None

Accessing the Calendar

The results were different here. As I expected, ChatGPT could not access my calendar to view or create appointments. However, Perplexity was able to read my appointments and add new ones.

Winner: Perplexity

Setting a Reminder

The results here were the same. ChatGPT could not add a reminder to my iPhone, but Perplexity was able to create one.

Winner: Perplexity

Answering General Questions

I asked both AIs to tell me how the American Civil War started. Both provided valid and concise explanations that answered my question.

Winner: Tie

Answering Specific Questions

I asked both services to recommend great science fiction novels from the 1960s. Both gave me about four titles to start with. Perplexity even suggested a few additional books. But ChatGPT added more flair and personality to its response by describing the books with colorful language. Perplexity simply listed the titles and authors without additional details.

Winner: ChatGPT

Telling a Story

I asked both AIs to tell me a story about my cat Mr. Giggles landing on the moon. ChatGPT wove a fun and creative tale about Mr. Giggles' journey from Earth to the moon. Perplexity was more literal, first telling me that a cat couldn't really travel to the moon. The story it told also lacked the imagination and flair that ChatGPT provided.

Winner: ChatGPT

Interactive Games

In search of an interactive game, I asked ChatGPT and Perplexity to challenge me with a general knowledge quiz. Both offered several good questions on general and specific topics.

Winner: Tie

Learning a Language

With a trip to Italy planned for next year, I asked both AIs to help me learn Italian. Both asked what types of phrases I wanted to learn. After I told them I wanted to practice general phrases, they both started with common words and terms, pronouncing them in Italian and explaining their meanings in English. Both corrected me if I mispronounced a word but praised me when I was right.

Winner: Tie

Conversations to Pass the Time

Finally, I told both services that I was bored and tired of driving, and that I wanted to chat with them to pass the time. They asked me what I wanted to talk about, and I suggested something original. ChatGPT encouraged a real conversation to keep me engaged and interested. Perplexity mainly recited information and did not engage me as much.

Winner: ChatGPT

Conclusion

So, who was the big winner? It partly depends on how you would use the AI. Perplexity scored major points as it was able to provide driving directions and access my calendar and reminders. But I can still use Siri for these types of tasks.

The real value of a third-party AI using CarPlay lies in its ability to handle things you cannot do with Siri: answering questions, telling stories, and engaging in conversations. And here, ChatGPT outperformed the competition. Of course, you don’t have to choose one over the other. You can try both.