Sidecar CarPlay Explained: The App, Second Screens & What's Actually Possible

If you've searched "sidecar CarPlay," you've probably hit a wall of confusing results. Some talk about an app. Some talk about second screens. Some talk about watching Netflix in your car. The topic sounds simple, but it's actually a few different things mixed together. Let me break it all down clearly so you know exactly what's possible, what's practical, and what to avoid.

Key Takeaways

• "Sidecar CarPlay" means two different things: the Sidecar app (now called Pelican) and the idea of running CarPlay on a second or extended screen
• The Sidecar/Pelican app works within CarPlay and adds vehicle data widgets alongside navigation — it does NOT create a second physical display
• iPads cannot run CarPlay natively — they can only be used as independent sidecar screens running their own apps
• HDMI adapters and Android AI boxes can push video to your car's main screen, but most have serious compatibility issues and legal risks if used while driving
• Apple now allows video playback in parked cars via iOS 18's "video in the car" feature, but almost no automakers have enabled it yet
• Next-generation CarPlay is designed to span multiple screens including instrument clusters, but it hasn't rolled out widely
• Distracted driving contributes to around 8% of fatal crashes — any sidecar setup should prioritize driver safety first

What Does "Sidecar CarPlay" Actually Mean?

The phrase gets used to describe two separate ideas. Understanding the difference saves a lot of confusion.

The first meaning is the Sidecar app — an automotive assistant for iOS that connects to your car via an OBD-II scanner. It shows vehicle data like tire pressure, battery level, and fuel stats as widgets directly on your CarPlay screen alongside navigation. It was recently rebranded as Pelican, so if you see either name, it's the same product.

The second meaning is more conceptual. People use "sidecar CarPlay" the same way Apple uses "Sidecar" on Mac — to describe a second or extended screen that sits alongside your main display. Think of it as wanting to run CarPlay on an extra monitor in your car.

Both ideas are real, but they're very different in practice. Let's go through each one.

The Sidecar App (Now Called Pelican): What It Does

What Sidecar/Pelican Actually Is

Sidecar — now Pelican — is a third-party iOS app made by Clutch Engineering. It connects to your car via a wireless OBD-II scanner (like the Vgate iCar Pro 2S or Veepeak OBDCheck BLE) and pulls real-time data from your vehicle. Think of it as a smart diagnostic overlay that rides alongside CarPlay.

The app's own description puts it simply: "Same app, same features, new identity." The Sidecar name is going away, but the functionality stays the same under the Pelican brand.

What It Shows on Your CarPlay Screen

This is where it gets interesting. Pelican adds customizable widgets to your CarPlay navigation screen. You can see things like:

• Tire pressure (all four wheels)
• Battery state of charge for EVs
• Fuel level and consumption
• 12-volt battery voltage
• Vehicle speed from the car's own sensors (more accurate than GPS-based speed)
• Engine temperature and other OBD parameters

It also logs trips automatically all day, without you needing to start or stop anything. That makes it really useful for business mileage tracking or keeping an eye on EV range over time.

According to the app's developer page, it syncs everything through iCloud, so your trip history and vehicle data stays available across devices.

How to Set It Up

Setup takes a few steps, but it's not complicated once you know what to do:

1. Download the Pelican (formerly Sidecar) app from the App Store
2. Add your vehicle to the app's "garage" using your VIN or manual entry
3. Buy a compatible OBD-II Bluetooth adapter
4. In your iPhone Settings, go to General > CarPlay > your vehicle > Customize
5. Tap "Add" and search for Sidecar/Pelican to add its widgets
6. Tap the info icon to link each widget to your vehicle profile

One thing worth noting: some data like tire pressure takes a few minutes of driving to populate. It reads from your car's actual sensors, not GPS, so it needs a moment to gather.

What Pelican Doesn't Do

This is important. Pelican does NOT create a second physical screen. It works entirely within the CarPlay framework on your existing head unit. If you're hoping to mirror CarPlay to a tablet or add a whole new display, Pelican isn't the tool for that.

It also doesn't unlock Android Auto features, play video, or let you browse the internet on CarPlay. It plays by Apple's rules — which is both its strength and its limitation.

Pricing

Pelican uses a freemium model. The free tier lets you try the core features. Full access to detailed trip data and diagnostics requires a subscription, priced at roughly €8 per month or €90 per year. There are also short-term options like a 24-hour or one-week ScanPass for occasional use.

Sidecar CarPlay as a Second Screen: What People Are Actually Looking For

Now let's talk about the other meaning — the desire to run CarPlay (or CarPlay-adjacent content) on an additional screen in the car.

This idea comes naturally. If Apple's macOS Sidecar can extend a Mac desktop to an iPad, why can't something similar work in a car? The answer is: it can, kind of — but not in the clean way you might imagine.

Here's the real picture as of mid-2026.

Can an iPad Be a CarPlay Screen?

No. iPads do not support CarPlay as a display unit. This comes up constantly in forums like r/ipad, and the answer is always the same: CarPlay runs from your iPhone to a certified CarPlay head unit in the car. An iPad cannot act as that head unit.

What you CAN do is mount an iPad in your car and run apps on it independently. Apple Maps, Waze, Netflix, YouTube — anything in the App Store. You connect its audio via Bluetooth or AUX. In this setup, the iPad is a sidecar screen in spirit, even if it has nothing to do with CarPlay technically.

This is actually one of the cleanest options available. No compatibility headaches, no firmware issues, no legal gray areas when the iPad is used by passengers.

HDMI-to-CarPlay Adapters

These are small dongles you plug into your car's USB port. To your vehicle, they look like a CarPlay connection. But inside, they're routing an HDMI signal — letting you connect a streaming stick, laptop, or game console to your car's screen.

A popular example is the Carlinkit CPC200-HD2CP. Here's how the setup works:

1. Plug the dongle into your car's USB port
2. Select CarPlay on your infotainment system
3. Connect your HDMI source (Fire TV Stick, Chromecast, laptop, etc.) to the adapter
4. Control playback from the source device's remote

Sounds great in theory. In testing, though, results vary a lot. A review by TechTwo found that on portrait-oriented screens (which are common in newer installs), the Carlinkit HDMI adapter simply didn't work. The Ottocast Car TV Mate Pro partially worked but showed stretched visuals. The Carlinkit FireDrive Link displayed content but with a squashed aspect ratio.

On standard landscape screens, these adapters tend to work better. Audio-video sync is usually solid. But you're working with a narrow compatibility window, and the experience can feel clunky.

The legal issue: Using these to watch video while driving is illegal in most places. In the US and many other countries, video visible to the driver while in motion can result in fines or license suspension. These adapters are best treated as parked entertainment tools.

Android AI Box Adapters

These take things further. Instead of just passing through an HDMI signal, an Android AI box runs a full Android OS. It pretends to be CarPlay for your vehicle, then delivers a complete Android interface — including access to the Google Play Store.

The Carlinkit and Ottocast AI boxes are popular examples. You can install Netflix, YouTube, navigation apps, games — essentially anything. Some also support screen mirroring from your phone.

Advantages:

• Works across more screen shapes since Android adapts to different aspect ratios
• No need for a separate streaming stick
• Can switch between the Android UI and a simulated CarPlay/Android Auto experience

Disadvantages:

• More expensive than HDMI adapters
• Reliability varies — some users report crashes, slow response, or vehicle-specific glitches
• Legal risks are the same as HDMI adapters when used for in-motion video

These AI boxes are often described as the most advanced option for enabling video in CarPlay-equipped vehicles. But to be clear: watching video while driving is illegal in most states and shouldn't be done.

Wireless CarPlay Adapters and Screen Mirroring

These are simpler devices that add wireless CarPlay to cars that only have wired connections. Some also include screen mirroring modes that clone your iPhone's entire display onto the car screen.

The Ottocast Mirror Touch is one example — it handles wireless CarPlay and full-screen phone mirroring through a single USB plug. This kind of mirroring bypasses CarPlay's app restrictions entirely, since it's just copying your phone screen.

The tradeoff: your phone's home screen isn't optimized for car displays. Touch targets are small, and the whole interface is designed for your hand, not a quick glance from the driver's seat.

What Apple Actually Allows: Rules, Restrictions, and iOS 18

Why CarPlay Has Such Tight Restrictions

Apple built CarPlay around one core idea: reduce distraction. That's why only certain app categories are allowed, why interfaces must have large touch targets, and why video has historically been banned entirely — even in parked cars.

These aren't arbitrary rules. According to NHTSA research on distracted driving, cellphone use was identified as a factor in 369 fatal crashes in the US in 2023 alone, accounting for 12% of all distraction-affected fatal crashes that year. That's the environment Apple is designing around.

The Sidecar App's Brush with Apple's Rules

In early 2025, the Sidecar app (before the Pelican rebrand) tried to push the boundaries. It released a paid feature — roughly $9.99 — that added a web browser and video player to CarPlay. Users could watch videos on their car's screen while parked.

Apple stepped in fast and required the developers to remove it. The browser feature was pulled from the App Store, and Sidecar offered refunds to anyone who had purchased it. As 9to5Mac reported at the time, the feature violated CarPlay's guidelines, which prohibit video playback regardless of whether the car is moving or parked.

This illustrates something important: if you stay inside Apple's ecosystem, Apple controls what's possible. The developers played by the rules and still got shut down. This is why hardware adapters — which operate outside CarPlay's direct control — continue to exist in a gray area.

iOS 18's "Video in the Car" Feature

Apple did eventually soften its stance. With iOS 18 and the introduction of the "video in the car" feature, Apple now officially allows video streaming on CarPlay displays — but only when the vehicle is parked.

Here's how it works:

• It uses AirPlay to stream video from your iPhone to the car's screen
• The iPhone detects motion using GPS and internal sensors
• If the car starts moving, video stops automatically
• Requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or higher
• The car's infotainment system must also support AirPlay video

That last point is the big catch. As of mid-2026, almost no major automakers have publicly announced support for Apple's video-in-the-car feature. The technology exists and works, but without manufacturer cooperation it's unavailable for most people.

This means that for now, hardware adapters and AI boxes remain the most practical way to get front-screen video when parked — even as Apple's official version slowly comes together.

Next-Generation CarPlay: The Multi-Screen Future

At WWDC 2024, Apple showed what next-generation CarPlay looks like. It's wireless-only, and it's designed to cover multiple vehicle displays at once — including the instrument cluster and center screen — using a layered system.

The system uses four UI layers: Overlay UI, Remote UI, Local UI, and Punch-Through UI. These are combined by a compositor that generates output for each display. The car feeds real-time data — speed, gear, fuel/battery level, ADAS status — directly into CarPlay's UI engine.

In plain terms: your entire digital cockpit could one day be driven by CarPlay. Navigation on the center screen, speed and gauges on the cluster, all styled consistently.

This is exactly the "sidecar CarPlay" vision — multiple screens, one system.

The catch? It depends entirely on automakers building in the required software and hardware support. As Mezha.media noted, Apple's revamped CarPlay — first announced back in 2022 — still hasn't materialized in most production vehicles. The roadmap is real. The timeline is slow.

And not every automaker is on board. General Motors made headlines by announcing it would remove CarPlay and Android Auto from its 2024 EVs and beyond, building a system in partnership with Google instead. That's a direct rejection of the multi-screen CarPlay vision for a big chunk of the US market.

OBD-II Data and the Diagnostic Sidecar

One of the more practical "sidecar" setups you can build today doesn't require much beyond an OBD-II scanner. Apps like Pelican and Car Scanner connect to your car's diagnostic port and surface useful data in CarPlay.

Car Scanner is worth mentioning here. It's free to download and shows basic OBD data. For more than four simultaneous data points, there's a small fee — around €3.99 for six months or €5.49 per year. It's not as polished as Pelican, but it's a solid budget option.

For EV owners especially, this kind of diagnostic sidecar is genuinely useful. Being able to see your 12-volt battery voltage, real state of charge, and energy consumption on the same screen as your map adds context that the stock display often doesn't provide.

A Reddit user who logged over 140,000 miles with the Sidecar app put it well: knowing your actual tire pressure — not just a dashboard warning light — changes how you drive.

Aftermarket Head Units: The Most Comprehensive Upgrade

If you want to completely rethink your infotainment experience — not just add a widget or mount a tablet — an aftermarket head unit is the most powerful option.

At Car Tech Studio, we sell Android-based head units and Tesla-style screens for a wide range of car models. These aren't basic replacements. They run full Android systems with CarPlay and Android Auto built in, large touchscreens (9" to 16" depending on the model), and native access to apps like Spotify, YouTube, and Google Maps.

Because they run Android, you get flexibility that stock CarPlay doesn't offer — split-screen layouts, background app playback, and richer interfaces alongside your CarPlay session.

For example, the Tesla-style screens we offer for vehicles like the Toyota Tacoma, Dodge RAM, and Ford F150 transform the entire dashboard with a vertical display that keeps all your OEM controls — climate, steering wheel buttons, cameras — while adding a completely modern interface.

This is arguably the cleanest way to get a true "sidecar" experience without the fragility of adapters or the safety risks of video hacks. CarPlay runs on the new unit, and the broader Android environment handles the rest.

Safety First: What Every Sidecar Setup Should Respect

Let me be direct about this. Any setup that puts video in the driver's line of sight while the car is moving is dangerous and illegal in most places.

NHTSA recorded 397 deaths in crashes where cellphone use was identified as a distraction in 2023 alone. Broader data on infotainment shows that increasing screen complexity contributed to a roughly 22% rise in distracted driving fatalities in a recent year, with over 3,100 deaths.

A second screen doesn't automatically make things safer. It can make them worse if it's showing moving content the driver can see.

Here's a simple framework for responsible sidecar CarPlay use:

• Driver-facing displays (CarPlay, Pelican widgets, navigation): Should show only driving-relevant information
• Passenger-facing displays (tablets, rear screens, AI box content): Can show entertainment when positioned away from the driver's sightline
• Video on the main screen: Only when parked, parking brake on, transmission in Park
• OBD data and widgets: Fine while driving — they're designed to be glanceable

The enthusiast culture around car infotainment is creative and often technically impressive. But some of it — particularly jailbreak tweaks like CarBridge that allow any app to run in CarPlay — crosses a line that's not worth crossing.

Comparing Your Options Side by Side

Here's a clear summary of the main "sidecar CarPlay" approaches:

Pelican/Sidecar app

• Best for: Real-time vehicle data, EV monitoring, trip logs
• Requires: OBD-II adapter, compatible vehicle
• Cost: Free base, ~€8/month for full access
• Creates a second screen: No
• Safety risk: Low

Mounted iPad (independent use)

• Best for: Passenger entertainment, secondary navigation
• Requires: iPad, mount, Bluetooth/AUX connection
• Cost: iPad cost + mount
• Creates a second screen: Yes (independent)
• Safety risk: Low when used by passengers; higher if driver-facing video

HDMI-to-CarPlay adapter

• Best for: Parked entertainment via streaming stick
• Requires: Compatible car, HDMI source
• Cost: ~$50–$150
• Creates a second screen: No (replaces CarPlay on main display)
• Safety risk: High if used for video while driving; also has compatibility issues

Android AI box

• Best for: Full app access on car's main screen
• Requires: Compatible car
• Cost: ~$100–$300
• Creates a second screen: No (transforms main display)
• Safety risk: High if used for video while driving

Aftermarket Android head unit

• Best for: Full infotainment overhaul, CarPlay + Android in one unit
• Requires: Vehicle-specific installation
• Cost: Varies by model
• Creates a second screen: Depends on model (some dual-screen units exist)
• Safety risk: Low when used within design intent

Frequently Asked Questions

What is sidecar CarPlay?

"Sidecar CarPlay" refers to two things. First, it's the Sidecar app (now Pelican), which adds vehicle data widgets to your CarPlay screen via an OBD-II connection. Second, it describes the idea of running CarPlay or CarPlay-style content on a second or extended screen in the car. The two concepts are often confused but are technically very different.

Is there a CarPlay app called Sidecar?

Yes, but it's now called Pelican. The app was rebranded in early 2025 by its developer, Clutch Engineering. It's an automotive assistant that connects to your car's OBD-II port and displays real-time data like tire pressure, battery state, and trip stats as widgets directly in CarPlay alongside Apple Maps navigation.

Can I use an iPad as a CarPlay screen?

No. Apple CarPlay only works between an iPhone and a certified CarPlay head unit in the car. iPads cannot act as CarPlay displays. You can, however, mount an iPad in your car and use it as an independent second screen for navigation apps, streaming, or other content — it just won't be CarPlay.

Can I watch Netflix on CarPlay?

Not officially through CarPlay's app framework. Apple restricts video playback in CarPlay. With iOS 18, Apple introduced a "video in the car" feature that allows AirPlay video streaming when parked, but almost no automakers have enabled it yet as of mid-2026. Hardware options like Android AI boxes can enable Netflix on the car's main screen when parked, but using them while driving is illegal in most places.

What happened to Sidecar's CarPlay browser?

In early 2025, the Sidecar app briefly offered a paid CarPlay browser with video playback for around $9.99. Apple required the developers to remove it for violating CarPlay's content guidelines. Refunds were offered to users who had purchased the feature. This remains one of the clearest examples of Apple enforcing its no-video rule within the official CarPlay ecosystem.

What is next-generation CarPlay?

Next-generation CarPlay, previewed at WWDC 2024, is designed to extend CarPlay across multiple vehicle screens — including the instrument cluster — using a wireless, layered system. It would let CarPlay control your speedometer, gauge cluster, and center display simultaneously. However, it requires automaker adoption of specific software interfaces, and as of mid-2026, it hasn't rolled out widely in production vehicles.

Are Android AI boxes legal to use with CarPlay?

The devices themselves are legal to buy and own. However, using them to display video content on a screen visible to the driver while the vehicle is in motion violates distracted driving laws in most US states and many international jurisdictions. Responsible use means limiting video playback to parked situations only.

What OBD-II adapter works best with the Sidecar/Pelican app?

The Pelican/Sidecar app works with wireless Bluetooth OBD-II adapters like the Vgate iCar Pro 2S and the Veepeak OBDCheck BLE. Both are inexpensive and widely available. The app's documentation recommends sticking with verified compatible adapters to avoid connectivity issues and ensure accurate data readings.