CarPlay Helping Some GM Dealers Close Deals on New Vehicles

[MacRumors]

CarPlay made its wider debut in a range of 2016 vehicles from over a dozen U.S. carmakers this month, including General Motors, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and others, and Apple's in-dash software appears to be paying early dividends for at least one of those major auto manufacturers.

General Motors said it has "anecdotal evidence" that CarPlay, available in over two dozen 2016 Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC models, is helping sell new vehicles to customers, according to The Wall Street Journal. A pair of GM dealers confirmed CarPlay is "helping to close the deal" on purchases.

GM officials say they have anecdotal evidence of an impact, and agree the offering has been well-received. Phil Abram, executive director of connectivity an infotainment at GM, said customers have been asking for the feature for years and the company plans to expand it to as many more models as soon as possible. [...]

"We've had people coming in because they've heard about it, and once they see it, they really do like it because it mirrors the look and feel of the devices they use," said Chris Hemmersmeier, chief executive of a chain of Jerry Seiner Dealerships in Salt Lake City, Utah. "It's helping to close the deal once they see it."

GM experienced sales growth during October and November, but the spurt cannot decisively be attributed to CarPlay. At the very least, GM's early adoption of CarPlay is helping draw some customers away from automakers that have yet to commit to the software platform, including the world's best-selling automaker Toyota.

Gavin McGrath, the general manager of Pat McGrath Chevyland in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been advertising CarPlay availability and it has drawn in customers.

"It certainly has helped us," he said. "The biggest thing that it has brought to the retail front is...navigation is going to cost $900 [to] $1,000 [as an option]. Here you have Apple CarPlay, and boom your nav is there. That has already helped us close deals."

Chevrolet supports CarPlay on all vehicles with 7-inch or 8-inch MyLink screens, including the 2016 Camaro, Colorado, Corvette Z06, Corvette Stingray, Cruze, Impala, Malibu, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500HD, Silverado 3500HD, Suburban, Tahoe and Volt. Our list of 2016 U.S. CarPlay vehicles covers Buick, Cadillac and GMC models.

Article Link: CarPlay Helping Some GM Dealers Close Deals on New Vehicles

 

[odds]

Just bought a 2015 Ford Fiesta ST this past summer and man I wish I'd waited until the 2016 models with CarPlay™ rolled out. Now I'm left with quite a nice car but the Ford MyFordTouch™ Sync is really lackluster...

 

[normanfox]

Just bought a 2015 Ford Fiesta ST this past summer and man I wish I'd waited until the 2016 models with CarPlay™ rolled out. Now I'm left with quite a nice car but the Ford MyFordTouch™ Sync is really lackluster...

is it still within 30 days? if it is, just return it and buy a new one.

forgot, do you still have the receipt?

 

[knownikko]

I believe it. I doubt I'd buy a new car without it.

 

[normanfox]

I wait until Lexus adds Carplay.

 

[Joe Rossignol]

Just bought a 2015 Ford Fiesta ST this past summer and man I wish I'd waited until the 2016 models with CarPlay™ rolled out. Now I'm left with quite a nice car but the Ford MyFordTouch™ Sync is really lackluster...

Ford doesn't have CarPlay in 2016 vehicles. May be possible through a future software update, but they've given mixed answers about that.

 

[knownikko]

I'm glad to finally see a critical mass of automakers relinquish control of their radio screens. So many "infotainment" systems are pure garbage. Let the computer companies make the computers, and the car companies make the cars.

 

[Patrick_L]

Just bought a 2015 Ford Fiesta ST this past summer and man I wish I'd waited until the 2016 models with CarPlay™ rolled out. Now I'm left with quite a nice car but the Ford MyFordTouch™ Sync is really lackluster...

Check this : https://media.ford.com/content/ford...e-siri-eyes-free-to-millions-of-vehicles.html

 

[Zirel]

Yep, GM, give what people want, that helps to sell cars.

Let the computer companies make the computers, and the car companies make the cars.

 

[odds]

is it still within 30 days? if it is, just return it and buy a new one.

forgot, do you still have the receipt?

I *do* have the receipt but it's been much longer than 30 days, unfortunately haha!

Ford doesn't have CarPlay in 2016 vehicles. May be possible through a future software update, but they've given mixed answers about that.

I thought SYNC 3 was confirmed to support CarPlay?? By the way, at least Ford recently made an update available for MyFordTouch that allows the steering wheel's voice button to activate Siri instead of the garbage built-in voice assistant! I've wanted it since I heard about it but I haven't had the time to load it to USB and plug it into my car yet heh...

 

[odds]

Check this : https://media.ford.com/content/ford...e-siri-eyes-free-to-millions-of-vehicles.html

Yes! Been stoked about this since I read the article on the 3rd. Just need some time to load it now.

 

[knownikko]

Yep, GM, give what people want, that helps to sell cars.

Such a novel idea.

 

[mejsric]

today Apple is giving away thier OS to car manufacturers...

just wonder what happens to CarPlay after Apple releases Apple Car.

 

[knownikko]

I thought SYNC 3 was confirmed to support CarPlay?? By the way, at least Ford recently made an update available for MyFordTouch that allows the steering wheel's voice button to activate Siri instead of the garbage built-in voice assistant! I've wanted it since I heard about it but I haven't had the time to load it to USB and plug it into my car yet heh...

Siri Eyes Free != CarPlay

 

[knownikko]

just wonder what happens to CarPlay after Apple releases Apple Car.

My guess would be nothing. The differentiating feature of an Apple vehicle vs. others will not be CarPlay. Gotta be bigger than that.

 

[Zirel]

today Apple is giving away thier OS to car manufacturers...

just wonder what happens to CarPlay after Apple releases Apple Car.

It's not their OS.

Of course it's to Apple's best interests to have CarPlay in other brands.

If you buy a car with CarPlay, you'll probably keep buying iPhones.

 

[0388279]

Went to the Chevy dealer looking for a 2016 Tahoe LTZ. Sticker said CarPlay ready. When I asked them to demo it for with iPhone 6S the response was CarPlay what?

I ended attempting to get it to work myself but could not. Also, from the photo it looks like a see a wire dangling.

Does anyone know the issue with wireless CarPlay and when that is expected to be released.

Donald Barar

 

[ron7624]

I'm getting a new pick up soon. It WILL have car play.
now that I see messages on the screen.... I hope Siri will handle them

 

[mfvisuals]

I'm waiting patiently for Toyota to adopt CarPlay.

My Scion FR-S is running the stock Pioneer audio deck that it came with, which isn't horrible, except that I can't use navigation on the big touch screen it uses without paying the dealer an extra $300 (one time, thank God) to use their built-in navigation software.

I couldn't justify the expense since I already have perfectly functional navigation software built into my iPhone.

CarPlay would be a happy medium, so to speak, but every time I've asked them about it, they're clueless.

 

[FightTheFuture]

To be clear, I'm sure these consoles use both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This just goes to show that the average consumer wants internet everywhere / a mobile digital hub.

 

[JimmyHook]

To be clear, I'm sure these consoles use both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This just goes to show that the average consumer wants internet everywhere / a mobile digital hub.

Many only support CarPlay... which is fine by me. Apple had a year head start on Google anyway

 

[Gusjasso]

Just bought a 2015 Ford Fiesta ST this past summer and man I wish I'd waited until the 2016 models with CarPlay™ rolled out. Now I'm left with quite a nice car but the Ford MyFordTouch™ Sync is really lackluster...

Lero lero!

 

[ILikeAllOS]

I don't think this would surprise anyone. I know I myself already decided I'm not buying a new car without new technology called CarPlay and I guess many others feel the same way.
Though I do think it would be nice if you could install CarPlay as an aftermarket mod for existing car owners.

 

[KiwiAdventure]

Lets see how many extra Americans get killed on the road because of using Car Play. Most are bad enough drivers without adding this to the crash rate.

 

[Vin2015]

I took my 2015 GM SUV in for service and a part was backordered, so I was given a 2016 model to drive over the last week, and it has CarPlay.

It has been fun to play with, especially messages, but honestly, it isn't a must have feature. With BT and my Onstar app, my iPhone 6s is really integrated into my current GM Infotainment system already.

Siri functionality is for me a better option in the car driving environment, CarPlay only seems to add the ability to visually see info, that while driving is more a distraction than anything else.