3 overlooked CarPlay features you'll wish you tried sooner - and why

There are several lesser-known features of Apple CarPlay that can enhance your driving experience. First, consider adding widgets to your CarPlay home screen. Upon connecting your phone, the CarPlay interface appears, and swiping left reveals widget options. You can display useful information such as the weather, analog clock, or calendar events.

To customize these widgets, search for "CarPlay" in your iPhone Settings, select your car, and choose your preferred widgets. This feature proved particularly useful in my Nissan Rogue, as the 8-inch touchscreen could display multiple widget stacks, including reminders, battery statuses, and even control my home's heating system.

2. Another overlooked feature is the integration between Calendar and Maps. When you add an event to your Calendar with an address, it will automatically appear in your Calendar widget within a few hours. Furthermore, when you open Maps, the event's location will populate, making it easy to navigate to your destination. Keeping your events in your calendar can help you remember important appointments, meetings, or social gatherings.

Lastly, you can share your Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) with contacts using Maps. After entering your destination into Maps, you can share your ETA with anyone in your contacts without broadcasting your exact location. This feature is particularly helpful when meeting friends for a hangout, allowing you to let them know your arrival time without sharing your real-time location via text messages.

Overall, these CarPlay features promote a heads-up driving experience, enabling you to access essential information and stay connected without constantly interacting with your phone or the car's screens.