CarPlay in iOS 17 introduces two significant new features for audio apps: a Mini Player and audio scrubbing. Previously, accessing playback controls required navigating to the Now Playing screen. The new Mini Player, located in the top-right corner, displays album artwork and offers essential play/pause and skip controls, allowing users to manage audio while browsing other app sections.

Audio scrubbing, a familiar feature on iPhones, is now supported in CarPlay. Users can tap and drag the playhead to quickly navigate through songs, podcasts, or audiobooks. This enhancement aims to improve user experience for audio consumption on the go.

These improvements are set to benefit Apple's native audio apps, such as Apple Music and Apple Podcasts, and are expected to extend to third-party applications once they are updated for iOS 17. The update focuses on making audio playback more accessible and efficient within the CarPlay interface.