AFAIK, Android Auto on phone launched before Android OS was used for in-car infotainment. Besides I am still not sold on your explanation. You can use Apple OS based phone to navigate while driving.
Android Auto was released in 2015, which only ran on a handful of OEM head units: https://www.theverge.com/2015/3/19/8259565/google-launches-a...
In late 2016, Google allowed it to be run on-phone: https://web.archive.org/web/20161107221224/https://blog.goog...
It's really just my opinion that Apple wouldn't go out of their way to port software to a different platform with no PR-friendly purpose.
Yes, but these were Android tablets fitted into head units. Not Androind Auto - a UI specifically designed to be used while driving which would make the Android OS liable for legal issues.
> It's really just my opinion that Apple wouldn't go out of their way to port software to a different platform with no PR-friendly purpose.
They don't need to. The ask in this comment thread was to have the CarPlay UI on the phone itself - the phone being an iPhone.