It has been three years since Apple unveiled the latest version of its CarPlay vehicle infotainment system. Dubbed “Ultra” this iteration of the system was supposed to rapidly make its way into every vehicle on the market. While the company has had plenty of time to make this happen, the stark reality is that no automakers have embraced it in that time frame, with only Aston Martin just confirming its intention to do so. A new report has emerged and it shines a new light on just how big of an issue this is rapidly becoming for Apple.

Apple’s plans are falling off the rails

According to the report from Financial Times via Ars Technica many automakers that originally planned to use Apple CarPlay Ultra in their vehicles are all bailing out in droves with Polestar, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi being some of the notable early exits. Renault chose to deliver a blunter response to Apple when it chose to not participate saying the firm shouldn’t “try to invade our own systems.”

The reasons why automakers are choosing to change their minds on Apple vary, but a common thing that ultimately forms the bulk of their decision comes from the opportunity to monetize touchscreen infotainment systems. Screens are the default user interface in many modern automobiles and as a result, automakers see it as a big opportunity to squeeze as much profit out of their software as possible. As such, being asked to give Apple the proverbial “bird dog” fee (a common under the table bonus dealer salespeople give to lower level employees when they give them a sucessful sale) is rapidly becoming a less desirable approach for long-term business. GM previewed a potential glimpse into this future when it chose to take Apple CarPlay out of all of its vehicles.

Apple still has some leverage at its disposal

While these initial setbacks will certainly hurt Apple in the short term, the company still has some potent cards to play in the long run. In addition to Aston’s commitment to the system, Hyundai, Genesis, and Kia also stated they are ready to add Ultra to their vehicles even though they were not initially listed on the first wave of automakers that were using the system.

Look for the situation to change in the next few years. Apple is still the top player in the vehicle infotainment race and while Andorid Auto has made some strides ever since it emerged as an option in vehicles, it has not dethroned Apple from the top spot just yet. This top dog status could force the hands of some of the hold out automakers especially if their customers generate enough demand.