General Motors (GM) is officially abandoning the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto starting with the new EV models in 2024 onward due to alleged stability issues.
Read Also: General Motors Surpasses Ford the Second-Largest EV Maker in the US
GM Justifies Decision After Criticism
Earlier this year, GM announced that it will gradually phase out Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity on new EVs. Many car owners were quick to show their dismay at the news.
However, GM remained firm on the decision and explained some of the basic reasons for ditching the program despite its well-received functions. Head of infotainment, Tim Babbitt, cited that both programs have shown stability issues that often occur in bad connections, poor rendering, and dropped connections.
The company also cleared that GM has been misrepresented in previous articles. "GM's embedded infotainment strategy is driven by the benefits of having a system that allows for greater integration with the larger GM ecosystem and vehicles," he furthered.
GM Wants to Lessen Usage of Phones While Driving
Babbitt also emphasized that driver distraction due to cellphone usage was one of the main concerns. "And when CarPlay and Android Auto have issues, drivers pick up their phones again, taking their eyes off the road and totally defeating the purpose of these phone-mirroring programs," Motor Trend reported.
Other vehicles have also experienced bugs in using the programs. There were also times when the wireless interfaces had more bugs compared to using a USB cable for casting the phone to the infotainment screen.
Recently, GM rolled out a new infotainment platform across its EVs called Ultifi. Regardless, the automaker company reminded the importance of focusing when driving.
Related Article: GM EVs for 2024 Will No Longer Support Apple CarPlay or Android Auto
