General Motors has decided not to use Apple CarPlay in its electric vehicles. But why exactly?
This car brand defends its choice to ban CarPlay
General Motors will not offer Apple CarPlay or Android Auto in their new electric cars. In an interview, Baris Cetinok (GM vice president of software) explained why they made that choice.
A funny detail is that Cetinok once worked at Apple. Nevertheless, he emphasized in an interview that it is not Apple CarPlay, but its own tailor-made infotainment system that can provide a better experience. He goes on to say that they want to create a seamless experience where you don’t have to switch back and forth between different user interfaces.
GM’s decision is causing a lot of resistance. For many motorists, CarPlay is an absolute must-have when purchasing a new car. A 2022 Apple study even shows that about 79 percent of American buyers will only consider a car if it has support for CarPlay.
As if that weren’t enough, the launch of GM’s own ‘Ultifi’ system went anything but smoothly. The first tests of the Chevrolet Blazer EV revealed several technical defects. Although some of these teething problems have now been resolved, the big question remains whether a car manufacturer can ever match Apple’s software.
This way you still get CarPlay for GM electric cars
There is a solution for GM owners who still want Carplay. The company White Automotive and Media Services (WAMS) offers a CarPlay and Android Auto kit for GM electric vehicles. The CarPlay kit is currently available for the following electric cars: Chevy Equinox, Blazer, Silverado and the GMC Sierra EV.
Apple CarPlay 2.0
Apple has been working on an upgrade of CarPlay for some time now. During WWDC 2022, the tech company proudly presented CarPlay 2.0, but now about two years later we still have not seen the updated system in action. Fortunately, there is hope, because several changes have surfaced in a test version of iOS 18.2 that indicate the next generation of CarPlay. Please be patient!
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