In 2023, GM announced its new electric vehicles would not support CarPlay and Android Auto, a decision which raised eyebrows given the prevalence of the technology in the vast majority of new cars.
At the time, it said it would instead be developing Google-powered infotainment systems without the support of smartphone mirroring, instead using native applications such as Google Maps and Spotify, similar to Tesla’s current model.
Now, the car giant says it’ll transition away from Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in its engine-powered models too, with GM CEO Mary Barry confirming the move on The Verge’s Decoder podcast.
“A lot of it depends on when you do an update to that vehicle,” Barra said when asked why the smartphone mirroring applications were still in petrol- and diesel-powered models.
“When you look at the fact that we have over 40 models across our portfolio, you don’t just do this and they all update. As we move forward with each new vehicle and major new vehicle launch, I think you’re going to see us consistent on that.
“We made a decision to prioritize our EV vehicles during this timeframe, and as we go forward, we’ll continue across the portfolio.”
When asked about whether engine-powered cars will forgo Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Barra replied: “As we get to a major rollout, I think that’s the right expectation. Yes.”
In Australia, the list of cars available without Apple CarPlay and/or Android Auto is a relatively short one, with only Tesla’s Model Y and Model 3 understood to omit the technology.
The Leapmotor C10 also launched last year without either function, and though it was understood to not be able to be retro-fitted with the technology – due to hardware constraints – executives have previously said an over-the-air update bringing smartphone mirroring would launch by now.
Discussion about this post