This week, General Motors revealed plans to phase out Apple CarPlay and Android Auto from its gasoline-powered vehicles, signaling a significant shift that caught many drivers by surprise.
For many, this decision seemed to sever a crucial connection with its loyal customer base.
On Reddit, one user expressed their disbelief, stating, “It’s insane.”
These systems allow drivers to project their phone screens onto their car’s dashboard, providing seamless access to apps like Google Maps, Messages, and Spotify, all while maintaining hands-free control.
Their popularity is undeniable. A study conducted in July by AutoPacific revealed that over 60 percent of potential car buyers consider these features essential.
However, GM’s choice is more nuanced than merely disregarding consumer preferences.
It’s part of a broader industry shift — one that’s exposing a growing divide among automakers over how much control Silicon Valley should have inside their cars.
American car companies are spending billions to build their own infotainment platforms, hoping to rival Big Tech’s in-car dominance.
Car shoppers love the current version of Apple CarPlay – in a poll, more than 60 percent of drivers headed for dealership lots said they wouldn’t buy a vehicle without the feature
Carmakers are starting to rethink their relationship with Apple CarPlay – but it isn’t a simple story of corporate misalignment with consumer wishes
Nearly every major brand — including Ford, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and Polestar — is developing its own software ecosystem.
That push comes as Apple rolls out ever-more ambitious versions of CarPlay, including its latest ‘Ultra’ update.
The new system doesn’t just project iPhone-style apps onto the center display; it creeps into the screen behind the steering wheel, and displaying critical safety information like the cars speed, tire pressure, and fuel gauge.
Carmakers traditionally keep that data close to the vest.
Apple is also experimenting with features like digital car keys, further blurring the line between phone and vehicle.
For automakers, that’s a red flag. Many worry that giving Apple deeper access to their hardware could mean ceding too much control.
‘We don’t like the execution of Ultra in round one,’ Jim Farley, Ford’s CEO said during an interview on The Verge’s Decoder podcast.
‘I’ve talked to Tim Cook many times about this.’
Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, has overseen a mission to take over more vehicle functions with Apple CarPlay – the company is now making iPhone into car fobs, creeping into screens behind the steering wheel, and looking at introducing self-driving tech to compete with Waymo and Zoox
Aston Martin, the iconic British luxury automaker, has embraced Apple’s Ultra tech – but other car companies are expressing worries
Startup EV companies that outfit themselves as tech startups – like Tesla and Rivian (pictured above) have decided to skip CarPlay and Android Auto altogether
A few other automakers — notably Tesla and Rivian — have fully skipped Apple and Google’s software.
GM is joining that camp, betting on its own in-house system instead.
The automaker already uses a Google-based infotainment suite in its EVs, replacing CarPlay and Android Auto with built-in Google Maps, Assistant, and voice controls.
Models like the Chevy Equinox EV, Cadillac Lyriq, and GMC Hummer EV already run on that software.
At a Wednesday press event attended by the Daily Mail, GM CEO Mary Barra said the company plans to launch a new, Google-free digital platform within the next few years.
But even as automakers are building out their new tech, they’re reassuring customers that beloved dashboard-centric versions of CarPlay are staying put in their vehicles.
‘We are not making any changes to existing vehicles,’ a GM spokesperson told the Daily Mail. ‘If your car supports Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, that will continue.’
Ford added: ‘We’re focused on giving our customers what they want, not limiting their choices.’
Apple and Google didn’t immediately respond to the Daily Mail’s request for comment.
