- GM is shutting down Apple CarPlay from its lineup
- New Chevy, Cadillac, GMC, and Buick EVs Won't Have Apple CarPlay
- GM's software chief believes the automaker made the right call
General Motors is still serious about it completes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Smartphone connectivity in future EVs, software manager Baris Cetinok said in a recent interview with The Verge.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which allow users to “project” features from their smartphones to in-car displays—and more EVs, including route planning—have proven popular with customers. But GM announced last year that it would stop putting them in future EVs as it transitions to a new Google-based infotainment system.
2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV
That's still the best way forward, Cetinok told The Verge, because it allows GM to “create the deepest experience you can create with a car,” rather than relying on interactions built into smartphone apps.
“We don't just send machines with monitors; we're not a surveillance company,” said Cetinok, who previously worked at Apple in product management and marketing for features like Apple Pay and iCloud. Abandoning deep smartphone connections it will create a seamless experience across different features, such as driver aids like GM's Super Cruise and entertainment features like podcast apps, he said.
2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV RS
The 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV was GM's first vehicle to be introduced without Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and subsequent EV launches like the Chevy Equinox EV and Chevy Silverado EV also went without those features. It could be a big change for users who prefer Apple features like Apple Maps. Google-based infotainment systems in new GM EVs include many of the same features as Android Auto, such as Google Maps and Google Assistant voice recognition.
Deep integration of software features can be important in route planning, as access to the vehicle's state of charge and other information is needed to determine charging stops and battery packs with preconditions to charge as quickly as possible. But as other automakers have shown, that doesn't mean taking away performance. For example, Ford EVs offer optional, with these capabilities integrated with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, as well as with its built-in navigation systems.