GM Admits No Technical Reason CarPlay Couldn't Be in Future EVs

[Tagbert]

I find GM’s argument here a bit disingenuous. They’re acting as though both CarPlay and Android Auto are never updated. I wish reporters would ask GM if they’ve had talks with Apple about supporting that feature and, if so, what the results of those talks were. It seems to me that Apple, at least, would be interested in supporting that feature if GM supplied the hooks into it.

but then, while I don’t remember which GM executive said it, but it’s been reported that it was said that they wanted to get some of the billions per year that Apple gets from their App Store with their system, because developers would be eager to write software for GM’s system. Um, well, no, they won’t. But that’s the real reason they’re doing this. They even said that their software would be free for the first year or so. Not that Android Auto or CarPlay cost anything to users. But they didn’t mention that.

CarPlay already has hooks to integrate with battery range and charge data. Ford (and BMW?) have integrated that with their CarPlay implementations.

 

[Tagbert]

As you know, Apple partners must first sign a commercial contract - including the infamous Apple tax - and only then a technical contract. Big companies (e.g. banks) don't easily give in, usually ending up with Apple taking 30% of "something" to be debated. This can take years and may be the reason of Apple and GM disagreement. Since both companies make 40%+ sales in North America, this is surely a stateside matter.

There is no charge or “Apple tax” on vehicle manufacturers who add CarPlay. We saw that already when BMW tried to claim the expense as why they wanted to charge a subscription for CarPlay access. It then came out that Apple does not charge any fees and an embarrassed BMW ended those subscription plans.

 

[leonmckee]

BS. No CarPlay. No GM. Period!!!!!

 

[leonmckee]

I repeat... PERIOD!!!!! Subscription junkie not happing!

You can't fool an old AI engineer. Writing rules decades before it was popular

Actually, GM like several other major brands is making my life easier to be honest. I now know who to eliminate before making purchase decisions. Keep it up guys . Lots and lots of choices these days.

 

[one more]

I believe that GM will U-turn on their decision and will bring both CarPlay & Google Auto back at some point.

Right now modern cars come with their own infotainment system (often involving Google) plus CarPlay & Google Auto. In Europe, Renault Megane or Volvo EX30 are good recent examples. They both use this Google-based system for “people without a smartphones”, yet if you connect your phone you can then use whatever. CarPlay V2 should make it even more appealing on these new big GM clusters.

 

[svish]

Not supporting CarPlay is a bad decision

 

[Robert.Walter]

No way. They have to feel the financial pain before they make a product decision to add it back. That all takes time. If it ever gets re-considered, we're talking 2026.

I didn’t say it won’t take time. I only said it will happen.

 

[coolbreeze]

Huuuge mistake. And touchscreen city? Dangerous as hell.

Bravo, idiots. Nobody asked for any of this.

 

[Abazigal]

Not supporting CarPlay is a bad decision

I see it as being caught between a rock and a hard place.

You either turn potential customers off by not including CarPlay, or further increase your reliance on another company while also losing another means of differentiating your product.

Neither is an appealing proposition.

 

[ilikewhey]

Is that cost for a charge from home? According to press reports ev fast charging on the road is generally more expensive than gas. I also don’t understand the integration point between Apple Maps and the car’s battery status. EV cars should report estimated mileage remaining, a mapping application should show a route with mileage to destination. Would there be that many cases where are the options shown based on minimized trip time do not also minimize fuel spent? I have both data points on a manual transmission 2016 Subaru Forrester, I use Apple Maps, and I have not had the need to integrate the information and any other place but my brain. 😀

can you cite the source? from my experience, the supercharger goes by kwh rates at the time of the day, peak hour here is 42 cents per kwh, if you go charge during off peak its much lower, but even during peak charging, 300 miles + range cost around 20 bucks at 42 cents per kwh.

when i charge at home during off peak, its about 5 cents per kwh so a full charge would cost me about 5 bucks, aka 320 miles of range for only 5 bucks.

 

[ilikewhey]

I mainly just mean the “only for the elite rich” assumption, which isn’t true as they cost about the same as or less than competitor models from all the major brands. Teslas were initially for the well-to-do, and first impressions are hard to shake. It also doesn’t help that many early adopters were pretty smug haha.

their smugness has been greatly depreciated by how much more teslas are on the roads today, so much so that the model y and 3 are used as taxis here in nyc. with the tax incentives a model 3 std range is same price as a camry, except the running cost is so much lower cause gas is expensive.

 

[jdsingle]

I’ve been waiting for the Sierra EV. I do not like BMW’s iDrive (neither does the wife). I wasn’t thrilled with the $107K MSRP. No CarPlay integration with the one device that I use to manage most engagements with technology interface points? Starting to become a non starter for me.

I’ll keep telling myself I didn’t need a full-sized pickup anyways and humbly wait for the Tacoma or scope out the Rivian.

 

[Skyscraperfan]

CarPlay ist trash, because you need a phone for it. The only reason for it to exists is stopping people from switching to Android because they got used to car play. So just another trick to lock you into the Apple jail. I would not want to have bloatware like that in my brand new car. I hate bloatware of any kind. Is there even a way to uninstall CarPlay from your car? I just found options to disable it, but not to uninstall it.

 

[seek3r]

CarPlay ist trash, because you need a phone for it. The only reason for it to exists is stopping people from switching to Android because they got used to car play. So just another trick to lock you into the Apple jail. I would not want to have bloatware like that in my brand new car. I hate bloatware of any kind. Is there even a way to uninstall CarPlay from your car? I just found options to disable it, but not to uninstall it.

Are you not aware of Android Auto?

 

[xyz01]

In the future meaning after Tesla puts them out of business? 😂

To be fair, Tesla doesn't support Carplay either.

That's one of the reasons Tesla is not an alternative when I'll replace my current EV. The other ones are lack of instrument panel (or at least a HUD), build quality, and weird decisons: e.g buyers suddenly didn't get parking sensors, as they were removed.

 

[hugodrax]

Crikey that dash is an eyesore. Give me some simple gauges and call it a day, maybe one screen for maps/Carplay.

in 8 years all those screens will be dead.

 

[Skyscraperfan]

Are you not aware of Android Auto?

That still is bloatware. It is like a Netflix button on your remote control. If there also is an Amazon Prime button, it gets even worse.

 

[H2SO4]

The rise of integration of our devices and tech in general with modern cars makes me wonder about positioning of safety devices, I mean where is the front airbag in these? Or is the passenger supposed to quickly lean over to the drivers side in the event of an accident.

 

[DFP1989]

When using ‌CarPlay‌ or Android Auto, the user's phone has no knowledge of the vehicle's charge state, and GM believes that forcing users to use the built-in Google-based system which can account for this information will deliver a better user experience.

I call BS on this.

My iPhone shows an alert immediately on CarPlay at the same time the low fuel alert comes up on the dash in my BMW.

I’d be very surprised if the charge state couldn’t be passed to the iPhone in the same way.

 

[timber]

I always wondered why car companies offered Apple and Google the opportunity to get to their customers and eat their lunch for free.
Especially with Apple's negotiation and taking over track record.
They may be too late, too much people has tried and enjoyed free allways properly upgraded sat nav, streaming and whatever.

 

[Richu]

Just the same as Apple walling off competitors from their eco systems. Same same.

Can’t see how this is in any way controversial.

Especially as Apple is entering the automotive space themselves.

 

[xyz01]

RCS is only Google's attempt to horn in. Not nearly as capable as iMessage

RCS is an international standard by the GSM association, and was started around 2007 to replace SMS, which was a hack that conquered the world.

It is much more capable protocol than SMS, but it's obviously never going to compete with apps like iMessage. However, it does solve some of the issues that are also solved in iMessage but in a application neutral way.

 

[joecomo]

one reason less to buy their ****** cars

 

[gk_brown]

GM previously said that their decision was based specifically on battery conditioning; if the vehicle knows it's being navigated to a charging station then it can take steps to prime the battery to receive its charge. This likely does go beyond CarPlay's capabilities.

But surely the built-in navigation system could perform such tasks in the background even while CarPlay is in use?

 

[Kar98]

They can sell lucrative location-based ads on the built-in navigation system. They can't do that if you use CarPlay. Plus many other monetization opportunities.

That's exactly the entire reason: we wanna charge subscription fees and put ads and if people are using their phones we won't get a piece of the pie.

https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/******tification