GM is ditching CarPlay in all future EVs and teaming up with Google instead

[ThatGuyLando]

For me it is about the music. I cast Spotify from my phone to my Sonos speakers but when I get into my MME, the music just moves from the house speakers to the car without me touching a thing. I'm sorry but that is pretty dern cool and not something I take for granted.

I'm pretty sure that's just a Spotify feature, you can swap from computers to mobile devices the same way.

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[JohnnyForensic]

Lack of CarPlay was one of the main reasons I’m driving a Mach-E and not a Tesla right now. CarPlay is a must-have on any car buying decision from me.

 

[Guss-E 2021]

I'm pretty sure that's just a Spotify feature, you can swap from computers to mobile devices the same way.

Is Spotify available as an app without AA or Car Play? I'm not where I can check in my car.

 

[MBCook]

I don't see the problem here. There's no need for apple car play if every car play feature is built into an advanced gm head unit and/or available via a downloadable app. Android automotive will be king if the 3rd party apps are stellar. They can't cheap out on the hardware though.

That’s the “feature checkbox” approach. But it never tells the full story. So they make System X and it has all the features as my phone.

Does it make calls? Yes. But not with my contact list. Does it play Apple Music? Ok but it doesn’t pick up where I left off like my phone. Does it play podcasts? But it won’t sync with Overcast (my podcast app) or support its custom features. Does it have maps? But I don’t want to use Google maps. Does it have ABRP? HomeKit? Siri? iMessages? Only through Bluetooth. Of course.

It may have an equivalent of every feature I use. But I don’t want an equivalent. I want the same exact thing.

And what happens in September when Apple adds new features to CarPlay? Will System X get updated the same day with similar features?

You can’t compare user experience with feature checkboxes. And that’s what makes all the difference.

 

[AndyR]

Welp, never gonna get a GM vehicle now. What a dumb move GM. Maybe release some EVs first??

https://9to5mac.com/2023/03/31/gm-carplay-support-ev/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

Guarantees I will not buy a GM EV...

 

[HuntingPudel]

I guess I should note that this old dog is a dinosaur. I don’t use 90% or more of the CarPlay features. The 8-10% that I do use, I like however. Not a big deal that I probably won’t buy a GM car though. They lost me over a decade ago. ?‍?

 

[AhardFSU]

True however GM does not have Tesla's EV legacy (good or bad) and charging network to leverage nor does it (yet) have Rivian's technical chops and "cool factor" appeal. Oh and lets not forget neither Tesla nor Rivian makes you hassle with a dealership. Those things may have helped them overcome the lack of AA and Car Play. Emphasis on "may".

I will confess the lack of AA is one of three reasons I drive an MME and not a Model Y (tax credit and physical buttons are the other two). Even my Model 3 driving co-worker (who knows me well) said the lake of AA would have driven me nuts.

No doubt on what you said. But I'd wager a bet that GM will sell more EVs than Rivian does even if Rivian has a "cool factor". That cool factor only goes so far. And I would venture to say that the percentage of buyers that will make a final buying decision based on whether the vehicle does or doesn't have Android Auto or Car Play, is much smaller than the people who will buy a car bc it is at the monthly payment level he or she can afford.

While this move by GM is not good, it ultimately is unlikely to move the needle in such a way that GM struggles to sell EVs; it'll like end up being a rounding error for them.

 

[machdady]

I don't see the problem here. There's no need for apple car play if every car play feature is built into an advanced gm head unit and/or available via a downloadable app. Android automotive will be king if the 3rd party apps are stellar. They can't cheap out on the hardware though.

That would require to catch up to the app store in terms of functionality and content. Google Play store hasn't yet, but could theoretically make it seamless to work in the car. But by that time "native" CarPlay will overtake this. Tesla is seeing the same problems - developing a new app to work on their native infotainment system takes a long time (and really not what they should be spending time on - FSD probably more important).

I guess GM cars will now have the crazy iPhone holders attached to a huge display that can't do the same stuff...like you see on Tesla (and admittedly I chuckle every time I see this).

GM off the list for me now - not like they really have any viable EVs yet anyways.

 

[ThatGuyLando]

Is Spotify available as an app without AA or Car Play? I'm not where I can check in my car.

Use it on the phone, connect via Bluetooth. Car Play is different than BT audio, some cars have it as an app, but you can just stream the audio over BT while still keeping that Spotify sync feature.

 

[Guss-E 2021]

the percentage of buyers that will make a final buying decision based on whether the vehicle does or doesn't have Android Auto or Car Play, is much smaller than the people who will buy a car bc it is at the monthly payment level he or she can afford.

In the words of Starlord: Ba-ba-ba-bingo! Too bad the Silverado EV is also hella expensive. I think the starting price on the first available trim levels was in the $70 thousands. And no AA or Car Play? What the reverse of icing on the cake? ?

 

[Logal727]

In the words of Starlord: Ba-ba-ba-bingo! Too bad the Silverado EV is also hella expensive. I think the starting price on the first available trim levels was in the $70 thousands. And no AA or Car Play? What the reverse of icing on the cake? ?

maybe this is their way of controlling inventory ?

 

[azerik]

Android automotive will be king if the 3rd party apps are stellar. They can't cheap out on the hardware though.

Whens the last time you didn't see an Android system cheap out? I swear everyone that makes something is sitting there with a SOC box going "what's the absolute lowest, cheapest processor we can use? Buy the one under that and sell this thing in mass. They'll all upgrade again next year when we release a 'new model' with this years bare min processor and the new even heavier UI is released."

 

[Vulnox]

That sucks, not because I was likely to buy a GM vehicle tomorrow or anything, but because it sets precedent from a very large manufacturer. While it may prevent some from buying a GM vehicle, as others mentioned above if GM prices their vehicles at a level that someone decides is worth giving up CarPlay, then they won't feel the heat from it and other manufacturers that also would love that sweet... sweet user data... may follow.

As others have also said, it is "a big deal" if you do use CarPlay because of the reasons mentioned, things picking up where you left off, single point for text messages, etc. If I am listening to a Podcast and walk out to my F-150 or my wife's MME, it just moves playing from my Airpods to the car automatically. Don't have to worry about profiles or picking the podcast again from the headunit or any of it. Just a huge step back in a feature I have come to love and for no good reason (as far as the customer is concerned).

Hopefully they get chewed up for it.

 

[scoopman]

This made it easy to cancel my (for entertainment purposes only) pre-reservation for both a Blazer EV and Lyriq AWD.

Not to go into too much detail, but Toyota, BMW, and Porsche all had levels of adversion to supporting CarPlay, Android Auto, or both for years. It was customer feedback and market dynamics that caused all to realize how foolish their approach was, and all eventually came around.

GM is banking on going it alone by delivering an experience they claim will be so good for customers that they will select a GM EV in spite of the lack of CarPlay support and choice. As some have pointed out here, they aren't Tesla or Rivian, and the market will correct their miscalculation in several years.

The good thing is that offering the current level of CarPlay support in vehicles is a pretty straight-forward process, and automakers and their suppliers can implement CarPlay's protocol in an APK via software, as Polestar finally did (as an example) in the Polestar 2.

It'll be interesting if Google's deal with GM will allow them to do this sometime in the future when it's clear lack of CarPlay support hampers their sales.

 

[Logal727]

This made it easy to cancel my (for entertainment purposes only) pre-reservation for both a Blazer EV and Lyriq AWD.

Not to go into too much detail, but Toyota, BMW, and Porsche all had levels of adversion to supporting CarPlay, Android Auto, or both for years. It was customer feedback and market dynamics that caused all to realize how foolish their approach was, and all eventually came around.

GM is banking on going it alone by delivering an experience they claim will be so good for customers that they will select a GM EV in spite of the lack of CarPlay support and choice. As some have pointed out here, they aren't Tesla or Rivian, and the market will correct their miscalculation in several years.

The good thing is that offering the current level of CarPlay support in vehicles is a pretty straight-forward process, and automakers and their suppliers can implement CarPlay's protocol in an APK via software, as Polestar finally did (as an example) in the Polestar 2.

It'll be interesting if Google's deal with GM will allow them to do this sometime in the future when it's clear lack of CarPlay support hampers their sales.

Yep, it's pretty easy and it doesn't matter what OS the infotainment system is using, Honda has had CarPlay on their Android OS since 2017, when it launched in the Honda Odyssey.

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