The new iOS 16 CarPlay feature will allow you to pay for fuel from your car's display

At WWDC, much of the attention was on the new and improved CarPlay that Apple previewed, but those experiences won't be available in automobiles for a long time. Something brand new for CarPlay in iOS 16 is the inclusion of additional supported app categories for "fuel and driving activities," according to the iOS 16 feature preview page. According to a report from Reuters today, some gasoline station chains are already preparing to utilize this capability, allowing customers to pay for fuel using their vehicle's infotainment center.

The next generation of CarPlay software, which will be available later this year, will allow developers to create applications that help drivers fill up their cars, get toll road information, and obtain towing assistance from the CarPlay-enabled display. Reuters spoke with gas station chain HF Sinclair about the new functionality, which currently services approximately 1,600 stations in the United States. According to Sinclar, it plans to adopt the technology and is enthusiastic that "consumers may use their vehicle navigation screen to visit a Sinclair station and buy petrol."

Reuters also quotes Donald Frieden from P97 Networks, which manages the infrastructure behind digital fuel payments. Frieden claims that he has spoken with oil companies about making their apps compatible with CarPlay, although no brand is named directly. According to Apple's developer documentation, driving task apps should help people accomplish tasks while driving that aren't connected to directions. A software program designed to assist individuals track mileage for business trip costs is an example of a potential driving task app.

Apps that provide value-added services must have "meaningful functionality" relevant to driving, and they cannot only be a list of gas stations. Previously supported activities such as audio, messaging, electric vehicle charging, parking, and fast food ordering will now feature in the new driving task and CarPlay app templates. iOS 16 is presently in developer beta and will be released this fall for everybody. It's uncertain how long after that customers will have to wait for a gas station chain to release a CarPlay-compatible fueling app.