Marketing: Big call by GM

[El Presidente]

I wouldn't buy a new car without  Apple Carplay/ Android Auto functionality. 

 

Would you?   

 

GM Will Remove Apple CarPlay and Android Auto From All Future Vehicles

 

 

GM plans to eliminate Apple CarPlay and Android Auto from all vehicles, expanding a decision that redefines how drivers connect — and how automakers control the screen.

By Max Taylor

News Editor, Autoblog

 

Key Points

• GM’s long-term goal is to turn its vehicles into “software-defined platforms,” unlocking revenue from subscriptions and in-car services.
• GM will eliminate Apple CarPlay and Android Auto from all future vehicles, not just EVs.
• The move aims for a unified, in-house infotainment system powered by Google's Android Automotive OS.

 

General Motors has confirmed it plans to remove Apple CarPlay and Android Auto from all future vehicles, expanding a controversial decision that previously applied only to its EV lineup. In an interview with The Verge, CEO Mary Barra said the move will eventually cover the company’s entire range, including gasoline and hybrid models, as GM transitions toward a fully integrated in-house infotainment ecosystem.

GM says the change will allow for a smoother, safer, and more unified user experience. Barra described traditional smartphone mirroring as “fragmented,” arguing that customers switching between native vehicle software and their phones disrupts the flow of connected features like navigation, energy monitoring, and driver assistance.

It’s a controversial position, but not without industry context. As automakers have grown wary of Apple’s expanding control over dashboard systems. CarPlay Ultra, the next-generation version set to replace entire vehicle interfaces, would further limit what automakers can customize or monetize, a move many brands see as encroaching on their software independence.

GM’s long-term goal is to turn its vehicles into “software-defined platforms,” unlocking revenue from subscriptions and in-car services. But the short-term risks are clear. Consumers have overwhelmingly embraced CarPlay and Android Auto for their familiarity and reliability, and GM’s decision could alienate tech-minded buyers who expect these features by default.

[LizardGizmo]

My Canyonero is a Silverado 1500 High Country and despite how much I love it (it’s easily my favorite vehicle I’ve ever had) I wouldn’t replace it with another Silverado that doesn’t have CarPlay.

I’m assuming GM is only doing this to have complete control of all data inside the vehicle. I’m sure Apple sandboxes a lot of it.

[BG318]

All those subscription based software ideas related to autos can go straight to hell. Too self serving for the companies, giving the consumer the finger. Not like it's not prevalent everywhere already, but it is a flagrant money grab, without providing customer value. Just like the over engineered boxes in the supermarket that look just as big as they did before and have 5 ounces of product inside.

[Cigar Surgeon]

There are times when I read something like this and wonder how someone at an executive level is so disconnected from the consumer as to still be employable.

[qs210]

What a terrible decision.

[NYGuido]

I am a privacy and cybersecurity lawyer who has worked in house for large tech and at law firms advising companies in the tech and automotive spaces. This does not surprise me at all, since the data generated by these kinds of systems can be VERY valuable.

[Chibearsv]

8 hours ago, NYGuido said:

I am a privacy and cybersecurity lawyer who has worked in house for large tech and at law firms advising companies in the tech and automotive spaces. This does not surprise me at all, since the data generated by these kinds of systems can be VERY valuable.

And why allow a driver to use the internet service that they already pay for when you can charge for it direct.

[Lucas Buck]

Rented an F-150 with apple CarPlay last week and LOVED IT! Will be very difficult for me to buy a car without it now. 

[El Presidente]

17 minutes ago, NYGuido said:

 since the data generated by these kinds of systems can be VERY valuable.

I suspect the challenge for GM may be the following 

No customers = no data = no value 

[NYGuido]

24 minutes ago, Chibearsv said:

And why allow a driver to use the internet service that they already pay for when you can charge for it direct

They don't even need to charge for the service; they'll make more selling the data to data brokers and digital marketing firms.

[qs210]

8 hours ago, NYGuido said:

They don't even need to charge for the service; they'll make more selling the data to data brokers and digital marketing firms.

I'd be shocked if they don't charge for it. Make money coming and going.

[Gemini_Man]

Intentional Luddite here... are the above mentioned software packages required for cell phone connectivity in later model cars? Or do they just provide seamless integration? 

My 2015 Caddy just uses Bluetooth and I get all my phone capabilities that way. What ends up missing without the Apple or Android packages?

[Chibearsv]

20 minutes ago, Gemini_Man said:

Intentional Luddite here... are the above mentioned software packages required for cell phone connectivity in later model cars? Or do they just provide seamless integration? 

My 2015 Caddy just uses Bluetooth and I get all my phone capabilities that way. What ends up missing without the Apple or Android packages?

Can still connect Bluetooth as usual or Apple CarPlay which displays and runs the apps on your phone to the cars display screen. So content all comes through the phone which feels more private rather than syncing contacts and such to the vehicle itself. I don’t know if it is, but it could be?

[Fuzz AI]

The third party car parts manufacturers are going to love this!! Rip out the head unit and put in an aftermarket jobby that has all the stuff you want. 

[NYGuido]

56 minutes ago, Fuzz AI said:

The third party car parts manufacturers are going to love this!! Rip out the head unit and put in an aftermarket jobby that has all the stuff you want. 

With EVs, this gets harder, since it’s likely hardwired into some vehicle management systems. It’ll happen, but the aftermarket folks are going to have to account for power management, power displays, etc., for EVs. 

[Montezüma]

I like using proprietary technology from the OEM, so as long as the bluetooth is seamless, its all good!

[MrBirdman]

Hardly surprising - BMW experimented years ago with a subscription service for car features like heated seats. Don’t know if that’s continued, but with cars becoming mobile online platforms it’s no surprise manufacturers are seeking to capture revenue from them. That’s the model of contemporary tech capitalism success - rent seeking. Now, if GM have a good replacement that integrates well, I would be happy to use it - for FREE. I might even pay them $99 as an add-on at purchase for it. But everyone is sick of having paid subscriptions for more and more stuff - you can’t even buy Microsoft Word as a one-time product now.

Before long we’ll have subscription-based toilets where some people will have to take on debt just to clear their bowels and others try to make do with a “liquid-waste only” plan by eating nothing but Taco Bell. 🌮 💨 💩

[BrightonCorgi]

On 10/24/2025 at 8:18 AM, NYGuido said:

I am a privacy and cybersecurity lawyer who has worked in house for large tech and at law firms advising companies in the tech and automotive spaces. This does not surprise me at all, since the data generated by these kinds of systems can be VERY valuable.

Another cybersecurity guy here. Maybe GM would have a change of heart if Apple & Google paid them for every active connection? Share the pie. The data is worth enough to engineer your own solution. Apple & Google could change course and leave the automakers hostage down the road or mishandle customer data. GM could suffer an enormous loss of reputation etc... 

I don't like using CarPlay. I want to use the car's own navigation and not tie up my phone. Cars are expensive enough and now the shake down for even more money? Seems like an insult to me. I may buy a year subscription to the Volvo service as a holiday gift to my wife. She misses the remote start in the winter. 

[cnov]

GM would have to make a car I'd want, before whether it had AA or Car Play became an issue! 

[BrightonCorgi]

The other factor is that automakers don't want to be at the mercy of Apple & Google. Just as they are providing services now, they can hold the automakers at hostage should they decide to no longer provide services or move the goal posts.

[Arabian]

Sad news, GM is my favorite car brand (Yukon & Tahoe). Give the consumer the options to choose what suits him/ her best? 

Quote

GM’s long-term goal is to turn its vehicles into “software-defined platforms,”

It seems like they are following the Chinese path with their electric vehicles, where the car feels very personalized and AI-driven.

[BrightonCorgi]

2 hours ago, Arabian said:

Sad news, GM is my favorite car brand (Yukon & Tahoe). Give the consumer the options to choose what suits him/ her best? 

It seems like they are following the Chinese path with their electric vehicles, where the car feels very personalized and AI-driven. 

I am not that old, but I am digging that the current Buick portfolio and Cadillacs are pretty sharp.

[JDoughty]

Assuming it was a car that fit my needs anyway, and it offered simple, free, basic functionality for all the stuff I use Android Auto for currently, yes. I don't care how my phone and my car communicate for stuff like audiobooks or podcasts (hi Lizards), map/GPS functionality, phone calls, etc, as long as it happens with minimum fuss and no one telling me I have to keep paying for it. Also I prefer no one spying on how I use it. Apple and Google certainly do that. The extent of how other platforms would do it too remain to be seen. 

[sbsbsb1]

Honestly I hate all of this s**t. I want a car or truck, not another laptop or smartphone with wheels. Tempting to just save myself money and look at low mile pre-2015 vehicles for the rest of my life.

[griller]

10 hours ago, sbsbsb1 said:

Honestly I hate all of this s**t. I want a car or truck, not another laptop or smartphone with wheels. Tempting to just save myself money and look at low mile pre-2015 vehicles for the rest of my life.

This is me 100%! I bought a 2016 for my 16 yr old daughter in May and it just pained me knowing all the over-engineered components & gadgets that are sure to cause me stress and $$ on repairs. I have a 1999 Jeep Wrangler TJ that I'll probably never sell because it's a simple vehicle and (for now) I'm still allowed to fix it myself.