axiom-now-playing-carplay

# CarPlay Integration

**Time cost**: 15-20 minutes (if MPNowPlayingInfoCenter already working)

## Key Insight

**CarPlay uses the SAME MPNowPlayingInfoCenter and MPRemoteCommandCenter as Lock Screen and Control Center.** If your Now Playing integration works on iOS, it automatically works in CarPlay with zero additional code.

## What CarPlay Reads

| iOS Component | CarPlay Display |
|---------------|-----------------|
| `MPNowPlayingInfoCenter.nowPlayingInfo` | CPNowPlayingTemplate metadata (title, artist, artwork) |
| `MPRemoteCommandCenter` handlers | CPNowPlayingTemplate button responses |
| Artwork from `nowPlayingInfo` | Album art in CarPlay UI |

No CarPlay-specific metadata needed. Your existing code works.

## CPNowPlayingTemplate Customization (iOS 14+)

For custom playback controls beyond standard play/pause/skip:

```swift
import CarPlay

@MainActor
class SceneDelegate: UIResponder, UIWindowSceneDelegate, CPTemplateApplicationSceneDelegate {

    func templateApplicationScene(
        _ templateApplicationScene: CPTemplateApplicationScene,
        didConnect interfaceController: CPInterfaceController
    ) {
        // ✅ Configure CPNowPlayingTemplate at connection time (not when pushed)
        let nowPlayingTemplate = CPNowPlayingTemplate.shared

        // Enable Album/Artist browsing (shows button that navigates to album/artist view in your app)
        nowPlayingTemplate.isAlbumArtistButtonEnabled = true

        // Enable Up Next queue (shows button that displays upcoming tracks)
        nowPlayingTemplate.isUpNextButtonEnabled = true

        // Add custom buttons (iOS 14+)
        setupCustomButtons(for: nowPlayingTemplate)
    }

    private func setupCustomButtons(for template: CPNowPlayingTemplate) {
        var buttons: [CPNowPlayingButton] = []

        // Playback rate button
        let rateButton = CPNowPlayingPlaybackRateButton { [weak self] button in
            self?.cyclePlaybackRate()
        }
        buttons.append(rateButton)