GM software boss still thinks ditching Apple CarPlay is smart

• GM in 2023 started phasing out Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on some vehicles
• GM’s software boss said the automaker wants more control of its vehicles’ user interface
• Next-gen Apple CarPlay is set to take even more control of the user interface

Anyone who is a frequent user of Apple CarPlay will know the inconvenience of having to exit CarPlay’s interface to adjust certain vehicle functions, and then switch back once you want to return to using apps on your connected iPhone.

The lack of seamlessness is one of the reasons General Motors decided last year to ditch both CarPlay and the similar Android Auto smartphone mirroring system on its latest electric vehicles in favor of its own system with Google built-in.

GM also said it made the decision because of safety concerns drivers may start using their actual phone behind the wheel if they experience CarPlay or Android Auto dropping out or running slow, which often happens.

More than a year on from GM making the decision to ditch the systems, Baris Cetinok, GM’s head of software for the automaker’s entire lineup of vehicles, has revealed in an interview on The Verge’s Decoder podcast published on Monday that GM is still happy with the decision.

Cetinok, who previously worked at Apple and wasn’t at GM when the decision was made, said another key reason to go with an in-house system is that it gives the automaker more control over the user experience and enables new features to be introduced quicker, especially when those features are unrelated to features on the phone, for example specific car-related features. This is one of the main reasons EV startup Rivian is also going to the trouble of developing its own software systems.

Even with the issues of CarPlay and Android Auto, the popularity of both smartphone mirroring systems continues to grow, with some buyers even making their vehicle purchase based on the availability of one of the systems. In a 2022 interview with CNBC, Apple engineering manager Emily Schubert said 79% of buyers in the U.S. would only purchase a vehicle if it supported CarPlay.

And now Apple wants to take even more control of the vehicle with its next-generation CarPlay system, which the company previewed in June. The new system will expand beyond the infotainment screen to the digital gauge cluster, as well any other screens on the dash, as the manufacturer permits. There will also be apps that let users control various vehicle functions, meaning there will no longer be a need to swap in and out of the system.