GM Phasing Out Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for Subscription-Based System

By
Mitch Talley
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22
12298

GM Phasing Out Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for Subscription-Based System


For years now, we’ve been reading that General Motors eventually hopes to rack in billions of dollars worth of additional revenue through subscriptions from its new-car customers.

Now, the company has announced it’s phasing out Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in its upcoming EV models, instead replacing them with its own new system that customers will have to pay to use.

Scott Miller, GM’s VP of Software Defined Vehicle and Operating Systems, thinks the company’s decision to stop using the phone projection systems is the right one and doesn’t believe all those surveys showing most car shoppers prefer to have Apple CarPlay in their vehicles.

“I don’t think anybody would tell you that the projection experience is fantastic. Right now, it’s convenient, it’s good, and compared to where we’ve been in the past, it’s been really good,” Miller told The Verge.

But Miller says GM prefers a system that’s better than “merely really good,” as he described current projection systems. Instead, the company is working on its own “holistically integrated” system that will not only provide entertainment but also show important information about the vehicle and its battery, something he claims can’t be done with the current phone project systems.

For example, he says: “…when the owner of a Chevy Blazer EV routes to an EV charging station, the vehicle’s native software can begin warming up the battery so that it’s primed for a faster charge. That’s a level of ‘holistic integration’ that’s unavailable through CarPlay and Android Auto.”

He believes customers are using the current Apple and Android systems simply because they’re familiar with them. “People are creatures of habit,” he says, “and if they’ve been using it, they’ve been using it.”

While some customers would argue that GM’s record at developing its own entertainment systems – a la Cadillac’s CUE and MyLink – is not very impressive, Miller says Blazer EV reservations weren’t greatly affected by the announcement about the elimination of Apple and Android systems.

GM hopes the new system will make it lots of money through subscriptions while also giving it a front-row seat to how customers drive and charge their EVs.

By the way, phone projection systems will still be available on GM gas-powered vehicles, along with Bluetooth connectivity.

Time will tell whether this idea turns out to be a good one for GM.


Source:
jalopnik.com

Related:
GM to Increase Revenue Through Launch of 50 New Digital Features by 2026
The First Chevrolet with Apple CarPlay is this 2016 Corvette Z06
[VIDEO] Wall Street Journal Reporter Tests Apple CarPlay in 2016 Corvette Stingray

 



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22 COMMENTS

  1. Stupid idea. We don’t need two systems when one like CarPlay does fine. I bought a C8 Corvette a few months ago and never use Onstar because my iPhone is better. I’m not going to pay for what Apple already does. But if Mr. Miller really wants to help, he need to improve the C8’s sound system and do what Audi does – put a CD player in the glove box that copies CDs to the car’s computer. The C8 makes you use a flash drive, but the cheap infosystem doesn’t read it properly. My computer does so it’s the infotainment system.

  3. Because, who doesn’t love paying for a subscription service after spending up to or, more than a $100K on vehicle?
    The feature being offered to monitor or provide the EV’s battery/operating information should be a standard feature, not something a customer should have to pay for.

  4. OnStar: Costly and Crappy
    Android Auto: Real time, intutive, free

    Totally the reason to ditch Apple/Android, right GM?

    Yes, GM, you may have designed & built my car, but how I operate & maintain it is my business. If I need your input, I’ll contact you.

  5. BMW is toying with the idea of putting a whole menu of features on a subscription basis. Want to operate your heated seats? That’ll be another $5 per month on top of the price of your car; radio services will be another $5.
    Ford is working on “self-repossessing” technology so your car can just drive itself away in the morning if you miss a payment. The automotive industry really is working hard to achieve the worst possible future for itself!

  8. What a dumbazz plan, plain and simple. Keep it up and see where tech savvy buyers go – it won’t be gm. Where are the minds of gm going? Do they all just bend over for Mary Barra?

  9. Years ago, 2004, 2007 (chevs which I still own) had Onstar and I kept the basic plan which gave me coverage when there was no cell coverage. Also the “crash” service notice was kept and luckily never used. But once a blown tire was changed very efficiently by the service. Now we have no service except cell which can be sparse and the OnStar “App” is not as good as the original service. EV not in my future. Subscription services make millions, think Costco and Amazon and others.

  10. Terrible decision. I can survive with Bluetooth but I will never use a GM system (except as needed in an EV if I ever own one). The reason CarPlay and android are popular is because they work and they’re free to the consumer in most car brands. I have never subscribed to OnStar. Pre CarPlay integration was ok, better than Ford’s disaster, but it just wasn’t intuitive. Also they want a Google based system – an ad company that makes its revenue by data mining. No thank you. I’ll be using Bluetooth and my AppleMaps as always and I’ll think twice about another GM car except Corvette. Disclosure: I own 6 Chevys, and the only non GM new cars I’ve owned in my 63 years: a Mitsubishi Eclipse, a Mazda Tribute and Mazda CX-9. First they drop the Cruze (I own two) and now this. It’s like they don’t want customers.

  12. They have a long way to go before I buy an EV in the first place. Eliminating a feature I like doesn’t make me any more likely. On top of that I sure as hell don’t want to have to pay extra for something. I was very happy we got our 23 Corvette without having to pay for the mandatory Onstar. Keep pissing people off, it’s a great business model.

  14. Smoke screen for more control over you. You will not have to worry much about the range of your government mandated coal fired electric golf cart when you live in their 15 minute city. Orwell’s vision was uncanny.

  15. ICE cars have always come with gauges that monitor the powertrain included in the price of the vehicle. With EVs, you will have to pay a hefty monthly fee to monitor your drivetrain, which makes sense to me because this is how GM will turn big profits selling EVs once it leaves the factory, they will be collecting money monthly for the life of the vehicle 20 years 30 years WOW great business plan.

  17. I hope this blows up in their face, Apple Carplay works just fine and better than the crap that came installed on my C7.

  20. Dumb idea, have you ever used the GM Navigation system. Just BAD. it can’t even recognize Ciocca Corvette as a drive to location. Worse nav on the market. Garmin will love this move

  21. It’s just another way general motors is ripping off the consumer. I just purchased a chevy truck with the infotainment system. After the 30 day trial period onstar charges $35 per month to link your GPS/Google/etc. Without the link u can”t use those features unless u have android auto. Even the posted spreed indicator goes blank. When Android auto goes away you’ll be required to spend almost $400/year to get what used to be free.

  22. If he really believe customers would choose his (probably crappy) system over Carplay/androidauto, then keep both options available… he will find out really quickly what customers want.. spoiler alert: they are not going to pay for what is highly likely to be inferior.. GM has always made crappy software, there is no way they will have something better then carplay out of the gate.. nevermind something that would have to be much better in order to get everyone to choose it. I was actually considering a GM EV.. this news means I never will.. not only because I want the right to choose, and not be forced into a subscription.. but the fact that the car I would be driving would have to be made by utter greedy morons, as evidenced by this decision, would make me not want it for all the other bad decisions that I don’t even know about, but would find out later after I bought the car. This is beyond dumb, it is also insulting to the customers.

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