This statement is likely accurate. Android Auto and CarPlay have replaced the outdated infotainment systems in cars, providing users with easy access to their mobile apps. As such, instead of old-school navigation, users can now run Google Maps and Waze. Spotify and Apple Music are in charge of the audio experience, and phone calls are no longer exclusive to Bluetooth connections.
General Motors giving up on Android Auto and CarPlay came as a surprise for the industry. The American carmaker isn’t the first to embrace Android Automotive, but on the other hand, it’s trying to pioneer a trend that is unlikely to gain traction.
Carmakers claim they won’t follow in the footsteps of General Motors, as they want to keep Android Auto and CarPlay in their cars.
Ford says it plans to offer the two services because customers love them. Volvo cites the need for “choices”. Meanwhile, Honda says adopting Android Automotive shouldn’t be the end of Android Auto and CarPlay.
Android Automotive is the fully featured operating system that powers the infotainment system in the car. Despite the deeper integration of Google services into the vehicle, it also allows Android Auto and CarPlay to run on top of it. Polestar, for example, supports such capabilities in its cars.
As such, embracing Android Automotive doesn’t mean carmakers must abandon Android Auto and CarPlay, as the two platforms can be offered together.
General Motors’ decision is controversial, to say the least. While many believe the company would eventually backtrack on this, General Motors wants to leave Android Auto and CarPlay behind specifically as it’s insisting on subscription services. General Motors certainly isn’t alone in the struggle to turn subscriptions into a money-making machine, as Ford, Volkswagen, and others are also embracing a similar approach.
On the other hand, nobody has gone so far until now. Customers claim that giving up on Android Auto and CarPlay means they would no longer buy GM cars beginning in 2024.
The first model that will launch with Android Automotive exclusive is the Chevrolet Blazer EV. It will debut next year without the two smartphone-mirroring platforms. General Motors says Android Auto and CarPlay will continue to be available in its models with combustion engines, but given it wants to move entirely to EVs by 2035, the days of the two popular solutions are clearly numbered already.
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