I don't mean that Apple (or Google) can't legally do it, they obviously could. The legal complication I'm referring to is the patchwork of laws regarding their customers' use of mobile devices while driving.

Android Auto running on Android is different -- it has a 50 state legal purpose: Android is a popular OS for in-car infotainment. Apple CarPlay runs on Android too, that's how it was implemented in my car from the factory.

iOS, by contrast, is not used for car infotainment systems, only Apple's mobile devices. Apple is unlikely to go out of their way to make a product for their mobile devices that is intended to be used while driving that could only be used on a mobile device.

AFAIK, Android Auto on phone launched before Android OS was used for in-car infotainment. Besides I am still not sold on your explanation. You can use Apple OS based phone to navigate while driving.

Android OEM head units started appearing in 2012: https://www.androidauthority.com/android-powered-oem-car-ste...

Android Auto was released in 2015, which only ran on a handful of OEM head units: https://www.theverge.com/2015/3/19/8259565/google-launches-a...

In late 2016, Google allowed it to be run on-phone: https://web.archive.org/web/20161107221224/https://blog.goog...

It's really just my opinion that Apple wouldn't go out of their way to port software to a different platform with no PR-friendly purpose.

> Android OEM head units started appearing in 2012: https://www.androidauthority.com/android-powered-oem-car-ste...

Yes, but these were Android tablets fitted into head units. Not Androind Auto - a UI specifically designed to be used while driving which would make the Android OS liable for legal issues.

> It's really just my opinion that Apple wouldn't go out of their way to port software to a different platform with no PR-friendly purpose.

They don't need to. The ask in this comment thread was to have the CarPlay UI on the phone itself - the phone being an iPhone.