Pioneer bringing a premium CarPlay feature to existing cars

Pioneer was first to bring Apple CarPlay to existing cars in 2014, and now the company is pulling off another CarPlay first.

At CES 2026, Pioneer is announcing its new Sphera aftermarket in-dash receiver with support for a premium CarPlay feature:

Building on decades of audio innovation, Pioneer, a global leader in in-vehicle sound and aftermarket car electronics, introduces SPHERA, the world’s first aftermarket spatial audio in-dash receiver to feature Dolby Atmos® playback in Apple CarPlay. To date, in-vehicle Dolby Atmos has been available only in models equipped with Dolby Atmos-enabled sound systems. With SPHERA, Pioneer expands access to Dolby Atmos through an aftermarket solution that can be installed in millions of existing vehicles, delivering an immersive sound experience leveraging speakers already in the vehicle.

Before now, Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio in the car have only been offered in select vehicles with limited options available. Apple also supports Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio in its audio products, including AirPods and HomePods.

Pioneer is bringing Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio to all cars with an optimized 4-channel solution that takes advantage of existing front and rear speakers. This is possible thanks to Pioneer’s “Pure Autotuning” technology.

Vehicle cabins vary widely in size, shape, and materials, and aftermarket upgrades can further influence acoustical variables. To account for and adapt to these differences, PURE Autotuning technology precisely adjusts time alignment, frequency response, and channel levels to optimize performance and place the listener at the acoustical center position. This level of accuracy is essential for delivering a Dolby Atmos experience that is true to the creative intent of musicians and content creators.

It’s all part of the Sphera, a 10.1-inch HD capacitive display with advanced Pioneer features:

Leveraging the large screen size, a split-screen mode reserves a portion of the screen for easy access to key features and controls. The integrated Pioneer Luminous Bar adds a subtle visual signature to the dash, featuring an Enhanced Visual Mode for navigation support and Music Synchronization Mode to sync lighting with your audio. Wireless connectivity keeps the experience streamlined through wireless CarPlay, wireless Android Auto™, and Bluetooth®. Designed for universal aftermarket installation, SPHERA fits a wide variety of vehicles with minimal modification, ensuring that immersive audio reaches drivers without an overly complicated upgrade process.

Pioneer Sphera will be priced from $1,300 with availability in Spring 2026. It sounds like a great solution if you’re already considering adding wireless CarPlay to your existing car, especially for Apple Music listeners.

Looking for something more affordable? Pioneer has a range of aftermarket head units with CarPlay support.

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