General Motors plans to stop using Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone connectivity in future EVs in favor of infotainment systems developed with Google based on the company’s tech. First reported by Reuters, the move is surprising given the popularity of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which allow users to project content from smartphones onto a car’s touchscreen, bypassing the native infotainment systems.
GM’s decision to stop offering these systems on future EVs, starting with the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV, could help the automaker capture more customer data, Reuters noted, providing insight into how vehicles are used. But it will likely be detrimental to the user experience, as customers will have to learn to use built-in infotainment systems, rather than the smartphone interfaces they’re used to.
It will be a bigger loss for Apple users, however, as there doesn’t appear to be a direct replacement for CarPlay. The decision to use Google-developed infotainment systems means features familiar to Android users will continue in future GM vehicles. Those vehicles will include access to Google Maps and Google Assistant at no extra cost for eight years, GM representatives told Reuters, implying that fees may apply after that. Spotify and Audible apps will also be included.
GM has been working with Google on software development since 2019, debuting Google built-in features on the GMC Hummer EV, which started production in 2022. Volvo and sibling brand Polestar already offer Android-based infotainment systems with apps like Google Maps and Google Assistant built in, but haven’t announced plans to drop Apple CarPlay.
GM plans to continue offering Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on its combustion models, and owners of existing vehicles will continue to be able to use these features. Ars Technica reports that a handful of current GM EVs will also continue to offer Apple CarPlay and Android Auto through at least the 2024 model year, including the Cadillac Lyriq, GMC Hummer EV pickup and SUV, Chevrolet Silverado EV, and Chevy Bolt EV and EUV.
GM has said it will eliminate tailpipes from all light-duty vehicles by 2035 and plans to make the Cadillac and Buick brands all-electric by the end of the decade. So the number of vehicles available with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will gradually dwindle until customers have no alternative to the Google-based infotainment systems.
