GM "ditched" Apple

Written by/Zhang Ou

Editor/Windsor

Design / Teacher Chao

On the occasion of April Fool's Day, General Motors announced a hot news among netizens - future electric models will not include Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

That is to say, owners who plan to buy the GM brand soon can no longer use the smartphone screen projection system, but use the in-car Google infotainment system. The decision won't affect any GM models already on the market, nor will it affect cars powered by gasoline or diesel in the next few years, just for electric vehicles.

GM said in a document explaining the new strategy that the decision aims to provide "seamless access" to new Google-powered infotainment systems, including native versions such as Google Maps, Google Assistant, Audible, Spotify and others.

"With the expansion of our electric vehicles and the launch of the Ultifi software platform, we can do more than ever before with in-vehicle technology and over-the-air updates. All of this allows us to continuously improve the customer experience we offer across brands. Edward Kummer, GM's chief digital officer, said.

He said the move is expected to generate more revenue from subscription services. The company aims to reach $20 billion to $25 billion in annual revenue from subscription services by 2030.

Given that Android Auto belongs to Google, it seems that only Apple has been abandoned. That is to say, on the road between Apple and Google to compete for the North American car dashboard, Google won a game.

After the news was released, GM quickly received "outrageous" and "short-sighted" feedback from the media and netizens.

In the era of software-defined vehicles, opting for a more integrated infotainment system, keeping data in your own hands and charging customers for subscriptions is indeed an important move to increase revenue. The problem is that potential customers are used to CarPlay or Android Auto, most consumers want at least the choice to navigate, chat, and listen to music in their car, and, in fact, many are still not very enthusiastic about in-car subscriptions.

In addition to this, Apple's CarPlay has always been popular.

Apple's data for 2022 shows that 98% of new models sold worldwide support CarPlay. According to one study, 56% of drivers will check this feature when shopping for a vehicle, 23% will not even consider buying a vehicle without CarPlay at all, and 48% of car buyers will want to use CarPlay or Android Auto in their next car.

When GM first announced a deal with Google a few years ago to integrate the tech giant's app into its fleet, a reporter asked if customers could still project their phones on the vehicle's display if they wanted to. GM answered in the affirmative.

The decision to restrict Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is clearly a reversal of that position.

A few years ago, Toyota Motor Corporation also had the idea of not wanting to cede the interior space to tech companies, but after only a few years, they compromised, and now Toyota's major models can be equipped with CarPlay or Android Auto.

Most other car companies have made sure their vehicles support CarPlay, especially newcomers. Polestar has introduced CarPlay into its cars; Lucid also announced that CarPlay will land on its Air sedan and will be part of future cars. Both automakers see demand from the market.

Kelly Cusinato, who oversees GM's digital business communications, said: "It's all about creating a better, more integrated experience for future EV customers, who will get everything they need over time and more." ”

GM's move to restrict the use of CarPlay and Android Auto is expected to begin with the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer electric car, and they want to get more data on customers' driving, listening and charging habits to inform future subscription products.

They stressed that the main motivation for this decision is to provide tighter integration with navigation and other in-vehicle systems to improve the navigation and charging experience for future EV owners, for example, when the owner heads to a charging station, the vehicle's native software can start warming up the battery in preparation for fast charging.

"This will maximize charging range and minimize the amount of time customers spend at the charging station," Cusinato said in an email. The vehicle itself can do more than the mobile phone. ”

Mike Himche, the company's executive director of digital cockpit experience, said in an interview: "We have a lot of new driver assistance features that are more closely integrated with navigation. We don't want to design these features to rely on people's phones. ”

Since 2019, GM has been working with Google to develop software for future electric vehicles. At launch, the software will provide access to Google Maps and Google Assistant at no additional cost for eight years.

Google has also been striking deals with other major automakers to use its native infotainment software.

The company offers two products: Google built-in, where the car directly integrates apps such as Google Assistant, Google Maps and Google Play Store into the car; Android Automotive OS, that is, the entire infotainment system of the car runs on Android.

Apple is about to launch a new version of CarPlay later this year, with an all-new design to take over more parts of the car's infotainment system, including the dashboard and other data. Consumers who are looking forward to the company's new products may be able to remove GM's brands from the shortlist when buying a car.

The Verge, Ars Technica, by Andrew J. Hawkins, Roberto Baldwin

This article was originally produced by Automotive Business Review

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