GM Introducing Wireless CarPlay in Select 2021 Vehicles, Including Trailblazer, Yukon, and Bolt

[MacRumors]

General Motors is introducing wireless CarPlay and Android Auto in several of its 2021 vehicle models, including the Trailblazer, Yukon, Suburban, Tahoe, Escalade, and Bolt, according to Electrek, Torque News, and various tweets.

CarPlay? is Apple's in-car platform that enables drivers to access a range of iPhone apps from the dashboard, such as Messages, Apple Maps, Apple Music, Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Pandora, WhatsApp, and Downcast. Since iOS 12, third-party navigation apps like Google Maps and Waze are also supported.

Wireless CarPlay in 2021 Yukon via Chad Kirchner​

Wireless CarPlay works over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, eliminating the need for the iPhone to be connected to the infotainment system with a Lightning cable.

Wireless CarPlay is gradually expanding in the auto market. Ford is introducing wireless CarPlay in select 2020 vehicles through its SYNC 4 infotainment system, for example, while the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica will feature a standard 10.1-inch touchscreen that supports both wireless CarPlay and wireless Android Auto.

There are also many aftermarket wireless CarPlay receivers available from brands like Alpine and Pioneer for do-it-yourself installation.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1225513988152274948

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1216467376515870721

General Motors says the 2021 Trailblazer will go on sale in spring 2020, while most other 2021 models will be available later in the year.

Article Link: GM Introducing Wireless CarPlay in Select 2021 Vehicles, Including Trailblazer, Yukon, and Bolt

 

[liberte1776]

Better late than never, can it be retrofit into a 2019 Blazer RS via firmware software updates?!

 

[Icaras]

Exciting!! Looking forward to seeing wireless CarPlay trickle down to other Chevy vehicles.

 

[steevn]

This is nice, but I don’t really mind the wired CarPlay ability as I like to keep my phone charged. I just wish they made more of an effort of putting the CarPlay usb in a more hidden location so there isn’t always the cable out in the open.

 

[Rychiar]

any car made in the last 5 years could probably run this if car manufacturers were nice and gave us firmware updates... I know my 2017 civic has wifi and bluetooth...

 

[coolfactor]

You'd think they'd colour-coordinate the screen with the interior. What an ugly colour combination that is!
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This is nice, but I don’t really mind the wired CarPlay ability as I like to keep my phone charged. I just wish they made more of an effort of putting the CarPlay usb in a more hidden location so there isn’t always the cable out in the open.

You could get a black (or whatever) USB extension cable, and tightly tuck it away, with the connector for attaching your phone where you want it.

 

[Brandon42]

This is nice, but I don’t really mind the wired CarPlay ability as I like to keep my phone charged. I just wish they made more of an effort of putting the CarPlay usb in a more hidden location so there isn’t always the cable out in the open.

If the car has wireless phone charging then wireless CarPlay makes a lot of sense.

 

[liberte1776]

If the car has wireless phone charging then wireless CarPlay makes a lot of sense.

Yes like the >= 2019 Blazer...

 

[steevn]

If the car has wireless phone charging then wireless CarPlay makes a lot of sense.

Definitely, I just wonder if wireless charging and wireless CarPlay will go hand in hand or if it will be an added cost. Car manufacturers still have yet to convince me they apply what’s practical instead of years of feedback of complaints.

 

[redneckitengineer]

I own a ‘17 Bolt. It has a wireless charger that works with iPhone. But I have to plug it in for CarPlay so it’s moot. This new feature would fix that problem.

 

[Mr Retina]

The dream is for cars to have wireless CarPlay and charging Qi mats come standard, and be in only luxury lines. Looks like we’re finally getting Closer to that.

 

[spyguy10709]

This is a textbook example of why GM is doomed. The 2021 Cadillacs are here, and there's no mention of wireless Carplay/AA to be found. Why in god's name would an automaker think customers who would pay nearly twice as much for a car would even *tolerate* having fewer features than the mass-market version?

 

[B4U]

any car made in the last 5 years could probably run this if car manufacturers were nice and gave us firmware updates... I know my 2017 civic has wifi and bluetooth...

Bluetooth, yes. Wi-Fi? Maybe not...

 

[Brandon42]

Definitely, I just wonder if wireless charging and wireless CarPlay will go hand in hand or if it will be an added cost. Car manufacturers still have yet to convince me they apply what’s practical instead of years of feedback of complaints.

Agreed. The wireless phone charging on my ‘19 Bolt is beyond annoying. You have to jam the phone into a rubber sleeve rather than just laying the phone on a charging mat.

 

[Julie Fisher]

The question is why car makers didn’t do this in the first place. I guess they employ the same engineers I worked with at DuPont years ago—couldn’t run a photocopy machine but wanted you to believe they could bioengineer drugs.

 

[omenatarhuri]

Good stuff, for shorter trips the wireless and longer trips just plug in and get charged at the same time.

 

[LV426]

I don't mind using wired CarPlay at all on a long journey. I like to keep my phone charged, after all.

But most of my journeys tend to be relatively short, and it's much more convenient to keep my phone in my shirt pocket.

My Toyota has wired CarPlay. But here's the thing: the head unit has WiFi and bluetooth connectivity. So why doesn't it offer wireless CarPlay?

 

[quagmire]

This is a textbook example of why GM is doomed. The 2021 Cadillacs are here, and there's no mention of wireless Carplay/AA to be found. Why in god's name would an automaker think customers who would pay nearly twice as much for a car would even *tolerate* having fewer features than the mass-market version?

So is/was BMW doomed because they charged an annual subscription for Carplay?

Or how they charged for comfort access even when cheaper cars had keyless remotes and could unlock the car by touching the door handle or pressing a button on the door handle, etc? Just because the vehicle is a luxury vehicle, doesn't mean the nickel and diming doesn't stop.

 

[spyguy10709]

So is/was BMW doomed because they charged an annual subscription for Carplay?

Or how they charged for comfort access even when cheaper cars had keyless remotes and could unlock the car by touching the door handle or pressing a button on the door handle, etc? Just because the vehicle is a luxury vehicle, doesn't mean the nickel and diming doesn't stop.

trust me, my comment wasn't about not having wireless carplay... *standard*. My comment was about not having wireless carplay at all when literally the same car/truck is being sold at half the price with that feature available, from Chevy instead of Cadillac.

It's a real swing and a miss from a brand continually trying to prove its relevance in the luxury space. Can't even do things as well as the non-luxury version so why bother?

 

[quagmire]

trust me, my comment wasn't about not having wireless carplay... *standard*. My comment was about not having wireless carplay at all when literally the same car/truck is being sold at half the price with that feature available, from Chevy instead of Cadillac.

It's a real swing and a miss from a brand continually trying to prove its relevance in the luxury space. Can't even do things as well as the non-luxury version so why bother?

So far the only the Escalade gains wireless carplay which is obviously Caddy's version of the full size SUV's. Cadillac doesn't have an equivalent vehicle to the Trailblazer and Bolt( the other vehicles listed to gaining the feature). If the Blazer/Acadia gains the feature, but not the XT5 then you would have a point.