General Motors kills CarPlay and Android Auto in all cars
General Motors, also known as GM, wants to sell its customers only its own entertainment system. CarPlay has to go – but Android Auto too.
A building of General Motors: On the way to absolute CarPlay-lessness.
(Image: Jonathan Weiss / Shutterstock)
The automotive group General Motors is escalating its “war on CarPlay.” The company now wants to equip not only its electric vehicles with Apple's iPhone vehicle integration but also future new combustion engine models. The announcement that they did not want to install the technology in electric cars had already been made by GM in 2023 and then implemented. At that time, however, it was said that fossil-fuel vehicles—apparently because GM considered them less future-proof—would retain the usual compatibility. But there is no longer any talk of that.
Everything out of the cars
The announcement comes from a credible source: CEO Mary Barra herself said in an interview with The Verge that a “full phase out” of the system is expected. However, she meant not only CarPlay but also the alternative system Android Auto for Android smartphone owners, which is also still supported in GM combustion engine vehicles.
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Barra wants to completely ban so-called phone projection, – i.e., systems where smartphone content is displayed on the vehicle display. Instead, they want to create a “centralized computing platform” by 2028 that combines all services—from entertainment to autonomous driving.
GM actually wanted to be faster
Interestingly, Barra justified the “slow” removal of CarPlay and Android Auto by stating that GM could not simply update the vehicles. “A lot depends on when you do an update of this car.” After all, GM has “over 40 models across our portfolio.” “You don't do that, and they all update.” But with every new vehicle and every important sales launch, she thinks, “you'll see that we're consistent here.” After the electric cars, they are now continuing through the entire portfolio.
GM has cited various reasons for the end of CarPlay. These included the statement that the Apple system and also Android Auto “impair traffic safety” Connection and stability problems could lead to drivers being distracted, according to the company's infotainment director back in December 2023. Later, dealers who sold external retrofit kits for CarPlay and Android Auto were also threatened with trouble. GM sells brands such as Chevrolet, Cadillac, or GMC. In Germany, the company was long known as the parent of Opel, but the subsidiary was sold in 2017 and now belongs to Stellantis. Most recently, GM has started with the European sales of Cadillac electric cars, which are produced in Mexico, China, and partly in the USA.
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