GM to Eliminate Apple CarPlay and Android Auto From Future Vehicles

General Motors (GM) will remove Apple CarPlay and Android Auto from its future vehicles. The initiative originally applied only to its electric range but will now cover all GM vehicles, including gasoline and hybrid models.

What it means:

• Soon, all GM vehicles will rely solely on GM’s in-house infotainment system.

• As per Digital Music News, the interface is powered by Google’s Android Automotive OS and “supported by a custom app store, voice assistant, and cloud-based navigation.”

The logic:

• GM CEO Mary Barra told The Verge that the change will enable a smoother, safer and more unified user experience.

• From a wider perspective, autoblog.com reports that automakers have grown wary of Apple’s expanding control over dashboard systems, with its impending CarPlay Ultra designed to replace entire vehicle interfaces.

• This would in turn limit what carmakers can customize and monetize.

The bigger play:

• GM’s long-term goal is, reports autoblog.com, to turn its vehicles into “software-defined platforms,” unlocking subscriptions and in-car services revenue.