As GM Authority has covered in the past, General Motors is collaborating with Honda to develop several new all-electric vehicles, including the 2024 Honda Prologue and 2024 Acura ZDX, both of which will be based on GM’s Ultium EV architecture. Notably, both the Prologue and ZDX are poised to offer customers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. Meanwhile, General Motors is moving to phase out Apple CarPlay and Android Auto from its future all-electric vehicles.
GM Authority reached out to Honda about the decision to offer Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in the upcoming Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX. “Honda has very good relationships with many technology partners to provide in-car solutions for our customers, including Apple, Google, and Amazon,” a Honda spokesperson told GM Authority. “Our customers find value in our support of CarPlay, Android Auto, and Google built-in and we now offer these connected solutions across our lineup. We will continue to offer a range of high quality, interactive solutions to provide value to our customers that match their own technology choices.”
For those readers who may have missed it, GM has opted to phase out the popular Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring systems as it pursues its goal of transition to all-electric powertrains across its light-duty vehicle lineup by 2035. In a recent interview, GM vice president of software, Scott Miller, defended the move, saying that GM was “very comfortable with [the] decision.” The first new GM vehicle to no longer offer Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be the 2024 Chevy Blazer EV.
Going forward, GM will develop a new infotainment system with Google that will enable the automaker to capture additional data on how its customers drive and charge their all-electric vehicles.
As for the two upcoming Ultium-based Honda products, an interior image of the upcoming Honda Prologue shows that the EV incorporates more than just GM underpinnings, with the steering wheel, switches, climate controls, and more all appearing to be GM-sourced components as well.
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Comments
Of course Honda will offer Apple CarPlay as this is a temporary BEV solution for them, don’t be surprised if their next collaboration with Sony yields a ‘Sony/Playstation’ like interface lacking Apple CarPlay.
Two things I hate about my Tesla M3. One is lack of Cooled Seats and two is the lack of Apple CarPlay but it at least offers Apple Music.
Otherwise Tesla has by miles the absolute best OS in the Business.
I think GM is making a huge mistake getting rid of the Apple and Google CarPlay. They do not have the Software engineers that Tesla has to make their own OS.
Reports are it’ll be based off of Google so we shall see I guess.
They are getting rid of Apple CarPlay. Ultium vehicles run Android Automotive, so any app you used in Android Auto should be available in Android Automotive. Technically Android Automotive can run any app in the Play Store, but I’m sure GM will have that locked down.
The question we should be asking is about data. Will you have to have an OnStar data plan or can you tether to your phone?
As far as Apple what would you be missing? You could run the Apple Music app. Google Maps is better. You would still have access to your messages and contacts. Siri?
The data is the real question/issue as you have stated. I guess if you could tether your car to your phone for data, that would work, but my guess is the real reason GM is doing this is to force customers into yet another data plan, after the one you have on your phone and probably another at home. The mere fact that the GM based Honda IS offering it kind of deflates GM’s argument that they needed to get rid of Car Play because the software requirements needed to be more sophisticated to enhance the user experience. Undoubtedly, there will be reviews comparing the Honda to the Blazer and the software will get compared, so it will be interesting to see if GM really does offer a superior experience or if it is a greed based miscalculation. I think it is almost a given that GM will require a data package for any of the app services that customers currently can use by mirroring the phone they already pay for. This sounds like it will go over as well as the required $1500 On Star package. I hope I am wrong about the data package fee but I really doubt GM will let you tether the car to your phone.
Yes, Honda will offer CarPlay, but maybe Honda is using the current GM software used by the Lyriq and Hummer EV. But then once the new Blazer EV is released, GM will have a completely new OS that makes the current system completely out of date? Ultimately we really have no idea what the new system will be like and will CarPlay be missed?
Time will tell. Labeling GMs system a fail is way premature and it’s hysterical many are complaining when they’ve never experienced it in person.
Would be missing Apple’s superior interface and design.
Come on. CarPlay is a simple screen with icons or a 2/3rd map with 1/3rd audio or full-screen map/audio. It’s not rocket science going on there.
As a GM software engineer, i would like to say respectfully say, go FCK yourself. We can do anything TSLA can do, we just haven’t been given the platform to do it. If GM had just started in the last 15 years it wouldn’t be burdened with all of the legacy architectures and most importantly, it would have had the opportunity to accumulate massive amounts of debt for years all while not turning a profit.
As far as the article goes i think dumping CP and AA is a mistake. I think a lot of people will overlook our vehicles because we don’t offer it. It won’t matter if our OS is good or not. The decision is 100% motivated by subscriptions, but you can’t sell subscriptions if people don’t buy your vehicles.
This guy can tell some to “fck” themselves but my post gets deleted and my IP banned in minutes because I said the 1.2L in GM lineup is going to make the Envista DOA?
Wild moderation here. Also, come up with a real comment system where we can actually register.
GM can’t sell me a subscription even if I buy their vehicle. My last 5 new GM vehicles, did I subscribe to their useless OnStar, absolutely not. All GM is going to accomplish by giving CP an AA the axe is forcing me to consider other manufacturer’s vehciles that still support CP and AA.
People didn’t over look toyota when they didn’t offer it at all. It all comes down to how your phone integrates with the new system. Car Play and Android Auto are probably not going to be around forever if many manufactures are using Andriod Automotive and you can use certain apps from your phone. No reason to have AA or CP. If the apps can mirror over nobody will care.
I think they will care if they have to pay another subscription plan to access the apps they are used to.
I think what you are going to see in GMs systems is what you see in Tesla’s system. If you don’t pay the monthly subscription you are going to have very minimal capability. You won’t be able to install any apps. You’ll be limited to FM radio. No Nav. ect. I am not sure a lot of people realize but the majority of the functionality you see on the Tesla screen is a $10 a month. I don’t like it, but the industry will go this way because they’ve found a way to monetize it. If you don’t subscribe you’ll get no OTA updates and experience of driving an EV will be painful.
You’d be amazed at the number of people that keep OnStar active just to have the remote start feature. It’s something you really only use a few months out of they year, but people forget about it and keep their subscription active. Personally, i won’t pay for it, but people do an now they are going to monetize everything.
I wouldn’t say the majority of Tesla functionality is due to the monthly subscription – navigation, OTA updates, AuotPilot, and most App functionality remain, but things like live traffic and streaming Netflix, etc requires it. But its like $100 per year or $10/month. Way cheaper than OnStar, which I kept for one additional year on my Colorado ZR2 ONLY for the remote start as you stated. The OnStar plans range from $25-50 per month ($300-600 annually)
Who cares?