While almost all of the cars in the market currently offer Apple CarPlay & Android Auto in some variants - if not all - the same won’t be true in the case of some of General Motors’ models. Future EVs to be very specific. That is because GM is dropping Apple CarPlay & Android Auto in favour of a brand new in-house Ultifi infotainment system software, which it is developing in a partnership with Google. The brand will continue to offer the services in ICE powered cars and existing EVs though.
GM says that future advanced driver-assist systems and complex vehicle displays can be better incorporated using in-house software, rather than via a smartphone. "As we scale our EVs and launch our Ultifi software platform, we can do more than ever before with in-vehicle technologies and over-the-air updates," GM Chief Digital Officer Edward Kummer said. The software can help with mapping charging stations along the route, and also help with driver assist features, which wouldn’t be as seamless via a smartphone. It will also eliminate the need for using a smartphone in a car altogether! Rest assured though, GM will include bluetooth connectivity in these cars for users to access calls, messages, and music, a report from Motor1 stated.
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GM will offer 8 years of over-the-air services for Google Maps & Google Assistant, which will work independent of a smartphone. According to a report by Reuters, GM will also offer subscription models for some apps. “We do believe there are subscription revenue opportunities for us," Kummer said to Reuters. GM Chief Executive Mary Barra is reportedly aiming for $20 billion to $25 billion in annual revenue from subscriptions by 2030. This may also include applications like Spotify and Audible for in-car entertainment.
While this may not cause a negative impact for the end user, it sure will put a dent in Apple’s work. Yes, this is still only restricted to GM’s future EVs and will not include internal combustion engine-powered cars or EVs on sale currently, but it sets a precedent that other car manufacturers could follow.
