General Motors (GM) has announced that future electric vehicles (EVs) will no longer offer standalone smartphone connectivity through Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Instead, the automaker will switch to Google-based infotainment systems, which will be an evolution of the built-in systems currently available in some GM models, such as the GMC Hummer EV.
However, GM confirmed that the existing EVs and internal-combustion vehicles will retain Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. GM believes that Google built-in systems will offer a more streamlined experience, which integrates basic infotainment features with key vehicle systems.
The new infotainment systems will also include some of the same Android features, such as Google Maps and Google Assistant voice recognition, which will be available at no additional cost for the first eight years of ownership. Spotify will also be natively available, and other third-party apps will be available through the Google Play Store. Bluetooth and Siri support will continue, but GM did not comment on future availability of Apple Music.
The new strategy will affect the upcoming 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV, which is scheduled to go on sale in the US this summer, as well as the 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV, 2024 Cadillac Celestiq, and 2025 GMC Sierra EV. However, the 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV and Pickup, 2024 Cadillac Lyriq, 2024 Chevrolet Bolt EV and EUV, and the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV will still offer Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
GM has also indicated that it will phase out most of its internal-combustion vehicles in the coming years, as it aims to make all of its light-duty vehicles electric by 2035, and the Buick and Cadillac brands electric by the end of the decade.
