Acura ADX Gemini AI Takes on Apple CarPlayMotorTrendHit the ignition, adjust the seat, connect Apple CarPlay: That's been my process for years. Just getting in and driving is long gone; now, connecting my iPhone to any new car I try is a necessary starting step. Sometimes—ideally, even—I won't use a car's native infotainment at all, because CarPlay is usually just better.That changed with a recent infotainment update for our 2025 Acura ADX long-term review vehicle, which replaced Google Assistant with Gemini AI. Now Apple's revolutionary car connectivity tech might've met its match.Gemini: A Game-Changer?Our top-trim ADX A-Spec with Advance package includes Google built-in, bringing native Google Maps, Google Play apps, and, originally, Google Assistant. Alexa is available separately, too. I never used any of it—I've been so deep in Apple's ecosystem for so long that CarPlay was my default from day one. That changed on day 322 with the ADX, when I installed the software that brought Gemini.AdvertisementAdvertisementGetting this update wasn't as easy as in my previous Tesla Model Y long-termer or other truly software-defined vehicles. I parked the ADX within range of my home Wi-Fi and poked through the infotainment to initiate the install. Progress stalled a few times, leaving me unsure whether it had worked. I repeated the process and eventually confirmed success when "Hey, Google" summoned Gemini instead of the old Assistant. It's been a clear upgrade.MotorTrend - MotorTrendFinally Worth UsingNow logged into my personal Google account through the ADX, navigation is even easier. Google Maps was already my preferred CarPlay navigation app, but Gemini makes the native version more useful. I can ask it to find specific locations along a route, such as restaurants serving a particular cuisine, or gas stations a certain distance ahead, then refine the search conversationally.As a YouTube Music user, as well, I can now tell Gemini to play a song, artist, or album without touching a screen, keeping things more hands-free. Its voice recognition isn't always accurate with more esoteric picks, but I can still play tunes from YouTube Music and other streaming apps on my iPhone over Bluetooth.Making calls and reading or replying to texts is easy, too. With my phone paired and its contacts available to the system, I can simply say who I want to reach. Gemini can summarize long messages, but maybe my people don't have enough to say for me to try that yet.Talking to the CarGemini also brings voice control of vehicle functions in a way CarPlay can't in the ADX. I can tell Gemini to change the cabin temperature, turn on the heated steering wheel, activate the ventilated seats—or handle all those requests at once. It can even understand natural commands like "it's cold in here" rather than requiring exact phrasing. None of that is strictly necessary—or necessarily faster—because the ADX's physical climate buttons and switches are already easy to use, but it's a welcome capability. Gemini can even draw from the ADX's owner's manual to explain unfamiliar features or settings.AdvertisementAdvertisementSo Gemini can do basically everything I need CarPlay to do, and more. But its biggest advantage might be general voice interaction. I can have a full-on conversation with the system, tapping into Gemini's vast knowledge rather than speaking one command at a time. I've used it to find destinations for an upcoming international trip, get context on local news, and even brainstorm this story—Gemini told me why it might be better than CarPlay and vice versa. Like any generative AI, though, its answers warrant confirmation rather than blind trust.William Walker - MotorTrendAlways Better Than CarPlay?CarPlay still has advantages for drivers who prefer Apple Maps, use apps unavailable through Google Play, or are deeply embedded in Apple's ecosystem. Because it's contained on the iPhone, it's also better for drivers who frequently switch between cars. CarPlay uses the iPhone's existing data connection, whereas the ADX includes a three-year data plan subscription. Apple is also rolling out CarPlay Ultra, which integrates more deeply with compatible vehicles, but Aston Martin is still the only automaker actually offering it on production models.So far, Gemini is proving capable and convenient in ways CarPlay never was. It does everything I need CarPlay to do while adding conversational AI and deeper access to the vehicle itself. For years, smartphone projection improved factory infotainment by replacing as much of it as possible. With Gemini onboard, I see little reason to replace it at all.Photo credit: MotorTrend - MotorTrendPhoto credit: MotorTrend - MotorTrendPhoto credit: MotorTrend - MotorTrendAdvertisementAdvertisementPhoto credit: MotorTrend - MotorTrendPhoto credit: MotorTrend - MotorTrendPhoto credit: MotorTrend - MotorTrendPhoto credit: MotorTrend - MotorTrendAdvertisementAdvertisementPhoto credit: MotorTrend - MotorTrendPhoto credit: William Walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: William Walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: MotorTrend - MotorTrendAdvertisementAdvertisementPhoto credit: William Walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: MotorTrend - MotorTrendPhoto credit: MotorTrend - MotorTrendPhoto credit: MotorTrend - MotorTrendAdvertisementAdvertisementPhoto credit: MotorTrend - MotorTrendPhoto credit: MotorTrend - MotorTrendPhoto credit: MotorTrend - MotorTrendMore On Our Long-Term 2025 Acura ADX:Luxury on Training Wheels?Did We Get It Wrong at SUV of the Year?A CVT Automatic with Paddle Shifters—Why?Don't Politicize Engine Start-Stop TechThe Best and Worst Things About the Acura ADXIs the Acura ADX Good for Tall People?Gas vs. EV: What's Easier to Live With?