General Motors (GM) has announced its plan to phase out the use of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto technologies in its future electric vehicles. Instead, the car manufacturer will shift to built-in infotainment systems, which will be developed in partnership with Google. The move will start with the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer and will enable GM to capture more data on how consumers drive and charge electric vehicles (EVs).
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto technologies allow drivers to bypass a vehicle’s infotainment systems and mirror their smartphone screens on a dashboard display. GM’s decision to discontinue those systems in future EVs could give the company more control over the data it collects, as it designs the onboard navigation and infotainment systems for future EVs with Google.
The shift away from CarPlay smartphone projection technology is a blow for Apple in its competition with Google to gain more real estate on vehicle dashboards in North America. GM’s Chevrolet brand was previously a leading adopter of CarPlay and Android Auto, offering more models with those technologies than any other brand.
GM has been working with Google since 2019 to develop software foundations for infotainment systems that will be more tightly integrated with other vehicle systems such as GM’s Super Cruise driver assistant. The car manufacturer plans to make its EVs platforms for digital subscription services and is aiming to phase out the production of new combustion light-duty vehicles by 2035.
GM’s engineers and investment will now be focused on creating one approach to connect in-vehicle infotainment and navigation with features such as assisted driving, according to Edward Kummer, GM’s chief digital officer, and Mike Hichme, executive director of digital cockpit experience. The new infotainment systems will offer applications such as Spotify’s music service and Audible, as well as access to Google Maps and Google Assistant, a voice command system, at no extra cost for eight years. The company believes there are subscription revenue opportunities for these services, and CEO Mary Barra aims for $20 billion to $25 billion in annual revenue from subscriptions by 2030.
GM plans to continue offering Apple CarPlay and Android Auto mirroring systems in its combustion models. Owners of vehicles equipped with those technologies will still be able to use them, and drivers will also still be able to use Bluetooth wireless connectivity to listen to music or make phone calls on iPhones or Android smartphones.
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