At its annual developer conference in 2022, Apple announced a new version of CarPlay with tightly integrated climate control, several customization options, and widget support. During the presentation, Emily Schubert, Apple’s engineering manager, remarked that 98% of all cars in the U.S. come with Apple CarPlay. That statistic, however, is set to change soon as General Motors, the largest carmaker in the U.S., is looking to retire Apple CarPlay from its electric vehicles (EVs) in the near future.
With the launch of the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer later this year, GM will replace CarPlay with its own infotainment and navigation interface, which it is developing in partnership with Google. GM confirmed the decision, as first reported by Reuters, to SlashGear in a written statement. The transition also applies to other future EVs, including the 2024 Chevrolet Equinox, the 2024 Cadillac Celestiq, and the 2025 GMC Sierra EV.
GM has also confirmed that the company will remove support for Google’s Android Auto along with Apple CarPlay. Notably, combustion models launching in the coming years will continue to support Google’s Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as usual. Existing EVs — including the 2024 GMC Hummer EV Truck and SUV, the 2024 Cadillac Lyriq, the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV, and the 2024 Chevrolet Bolt EV and EUV — will also retain CarPlay and Android Auto.
Better integration with the EV
As GM’s proprietary infotainment system replaces CarPlay and Android Auto on EVs, buyers of the 2024 Blaze electric and other future EVs will be able to access Google Maps as the default navigation system. In addition, drivers will also gain access to Google Assistant for hands-free interactions — though the automaker is already reportedly considering replacing that with its own ChatGPT-style assistant in the future — and GM promises eight years of data access to navigation and Google’s voice control system. There’ll also be three years of OnStar Remote Access and streaming services in the U.S. for native media apps like Spotify and Audible, along with the Google Play Store.
For those iPhone and Android device users still wanting to connect their phones, the experience will feel somewhat more old-school. GM says that its upcoming EVs will support hands-free calls, voice texting, and music streaming via Bluetooth connection with a paired smartphone.
