4 ms·

GM blocks dealers from using Apple CarPlay, Android Auto aftermarket kits

46 points by hnburnsy 2y ago

skyyler 2y ago
Why?
- exabrial 2y ago
  Your driving data is incredibly incredibly valuable.
- Waterluvian 2y ago
  Money money money money moneeeeeeeyyyyy.
- smackeyacky 2y ago
  To be fair to GM (and this is tough because I really dislike their products) the multiple screens in a modern vehicle often control everything, including the HVAC, and having some Chinese company try to reverse engineer something that fits in the dashboard and also plays nice with the CAN bus based system running the car is not easy. If they were tired of paying royalties to Apple, there is at least 1 aftermarket "Carplay compatible" system available that's often on the cheap Android head units you can buy from AliExpress, so I don't think it's money. I think it's more to do with being able to honour the warranties on the vehicle. Dealer fitted accessories have occasionally stepped over the line, the customer doesn't care because "it came with the car" and the dealerships will try to make extra money any way they can, which are both things that GM see as an extra cost.
  - itsdrewmiller 2y ago
    As far as I know Apple doesn't charge car companies to use carplay?
timewizard 2y ago
> The company reportedly plans to discontinue the offering in all its future models soon in favor of its own built-in in-vehicle infotainment systems. The thing you wanted as a consumer is inconvenient to our pocket book so we're removing it for something worse in every conceivable way. > According to the report, 85% of car owners who have Apple CarPlay (or a similar service) prefer it over the OEM’s built-in system. Let's check with Jeep owners on that one.
- zephyreon 2y ago
  Parents have a Jeep, can attest that Uconnect is probably the worst infotainment experience I have ever had the displeasure of using in any vehicle I’ve driven. 99% of Jeep owners seems more realistic.
jedberg 2y ago
It was my understanding that you can only block aftermarket parts that affect emissions and safety, and that the onus is on the car maker to prove that it affects those systems.
- ike2792 2y ago
  Is that just for actively blocking compatibility? I would assume that carmakers have wide latitude in telling their dealers what they can install. A third-party shop should still be able to install the CarPlay kits.
outside1234 2y ago
It will be a miracle if GM is not completely bankrupt in 10 years. This company is completely on the wrong track in almost every strategy decision (giant cars, ICE heavy lineup, quixotic war on Apple CarPlay, etc.)
- HiroshiSan 2y ago
  Considering they got a government bailout once already I don’t think the US would ever let that happen.
- amanaplanacanal 2y ago
  Won't be the first time. They were bankrupt in 2009 and reorganized under a different company after getting billions in bailout money. I'd like to think they won't get bailed out again, but that seems unlikely
deleted 2y ago
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tinbad 2y ago
Really curious how this gamble is going to play out for GM. CarPlay compatibility is in the top of my list when deciding on a new vehicle. I’m sure they must’ve done some analysis but I feel this will backfire quickly, given how much value millennials, GenZ, etc. put into having a CP/AP compatible infotainment.
- sct202 2y ago
  It's so short sighted how they're willing to risk sales of a $50k item to upsell their homegrown knockoff.
- zephyreon 2y ago
  Will echo this sentiment with one caveat. I would consider a non-CarPlay enabled vehicle if the infotainment is actually good and the vehicle is the main selling point (for me that would be Rivian).
  - mulmen 2y ago
    I have only used Carplay in rental cars so not much experience. How well does it integrate with the car? Like if I am low on fuel/charge will it automatically suggest an addition to the route? Can I search on route for rest stops? My 15 year old BMW system can do both of those things, and I believe the modern system can as well.
    - itsdrewmiller 2y ago
      It does have low fuel warning although I don't think my car actually enabled it. You can search on your route with carplay but the experience is significantly worse than doing it from your phone (and it nanny state disables using your phone navigation - you have to use the carplay UI). I don't think it integrates with gas tank status.
      - mulmen 2y ago
        With the BMW system a low fuel warning with a destination set puts a prompt on the nav screen that says “do you want to add this stop?” With directions to the nearest gas station. You push the nav control button (not a screen!) once to accept the change or do nothing to continue.
kotaKat 2y ago
I did a little digging into it and it seems like they were doing something to the radio modules to crack into the OS to add back in or enable the CarPlay/Android Auto features in it and it apparently was... sketchy. Things like not persisting through updates, sketchy. https://www.blazerevforum.com/threads/apple-carplay-android-auto-upgrade.1789/page-7 https://www.blazerevforum.com/threads/apple-carplay-android-... They also still have some quotes before White Automotive yanked their pages down. "Servicing vehicles with this modification does require a little bit of common sense. Dealers should not service the radio module." Also, apparently the radio module is so heavily integrated to the vehicle that removing it renders the vehicle undrivable (i.e. to send it off for modification).
deleted 2y ago
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46 points by hnburnsy 2y ago

skyyler 2y ago

Why?

exabrial 2y ago
Your driving data is incredibly incredibly valuable.
Waterluvian 2y ago
Money money money money moneeeeeeeyyyyy.
smackeyacky 2y ago
To be fair to GM (and this is tough because I really dislike their products) the multiple screens in a modern vehicle often control everything, including the HVAC, and having some Chinese company try to reverse engineer something that fits in the dashboard and also plays nice with the CAN bus based system running the car is not easy. If they were tired of paying royalties to Apple, there is at least 1 aftermarket "Carplay compatible" system available that's often on the cheap Android head units you can buy from AliExpress, so I don't think it's money. I think it's more to do with being able to honour the warranties on the vehicle. Dealer fitted accessories have occasionally stepped over the line, the customer doesn't care because "it came with the car" and the dealerships will try to make extra money any way they can, which are both things that GM see as an extra cost.
- itsdrewmiller 2y ago
  As far as I know Apple doesn't charge car companies to use carplay?

timewizard 2y ago

> The company reportedly plans to discontinue the offering in all its future models soon in favor of its own built-in in-vehicle infotainment systems. The thing you wanted as a consumer is inconvenient to our pocket book so we're removing it for something worse in every conceivable way. > According to the report, 85% of car owners who have Apple CarPlay (or a similar service) prefer it over the OEM’s built-in system. Let's check with Jeep owners on that one.

zephyreon 2y ago
Parents have a Jeep, can attest that Uconnect is probably the worst infotainment experience I have ever had the displeasure of using in any vehicle I’ve driven. 99% of Jeep owners seems more realistic.

jedberg 2y ago

It was my understanding that you can only block aftermarket parts that affect emissions and safety, and that the onus is on the car maker to prove that it affects those systems.

ike2792 2y ago
Is that just for actively blocking compatibility? I would assume that carmakers have wide latitude in telling their dealers what they can install. A third-party shop should still be able to install the CarPlay kits.

outside1234 2y ago

It will be a miracle if GM is not completely bankrupt in 10 years. This company is completely on the wrong track in almost every strategy decision (giant cars, ICE heavy lineup, quixotic war on Apple CarPlay, etc.)

HiroshiSan 2y ago
Considering they got a government bailout once already I don’t think the US would ever let that happen.
amanaplanacanal 2y ago
Won't be the first time. They were bankrupt in 2009 and reorganized under a different company after getting billions in bailout money. I'd like to think they won't get bailed out again, but that seems unlikely

deleted 2y ago

[deleted]

tinbad 2y ago

Really curious how this gamble is going to play out for GM. CarPlay compatibility is in the top of my list when deciding on a new vehicle. I’m sure they must’ve done some analysis but I feel this will backfire quickly, given how much value millennials, GenZ, etc. put into having a CP/AP compatible infotainment.

sct202 2y ago
It's so short sighted how they're willing to risk sales of a $50k item to upsell their homegrown knockoff.
zephyreon 2y ago
Will echo this sentiment with one caveat. I would consider a non-CarPlay enabled vehicle if the infotainment is actually good and the vehicle is the main selling point (for me that would be Rivian).
- mulmen 2y ago
  I have only used Carplay in rental cars so not much experience. How well does it integrate with the car? Like if I am low on fuel/charge will it automatically suggest an addition to the route? Can I search on route for rest stops? My 15 year old BMW system can do both of those things, and I believe the modern system can as well.
  - itsdrewmiller 2y ago
    It does have low fuel warning although I don't think my car actually enabled it. You can search on your route with carplay but the experience is significantly worse than doing it from your phone (and it nanny state disables using your phone navigation - you have to use the carplay UI). I don't think it integrates with gas tank status.
    - mulmen 2y ago
      With the BMW system a low fuel warning with a destination set puts a prompt on the nav screen that says “do you want to add this stop?” With directions to the nearest gas station. You push the nav control button (not a screen!) once to accept the change or do nothing to continue.

kotaKat 2y ago

I did a little digging into it and it seems like they were doing something to the radio modules to crack into the OS to add back in or enable the CarPlay/Android Auto features in it and it apparently was... sketchy. Things like not persisting through updates, sketchy. https://www.blazerevforum.com/threads/apple-carplay-android-auto-upgrade.1789/page-7 https://www.blazerevforum.com/threads/apple-carplay-android-... They also still have some quotes before White Automotive yanked their pages down. "Servicing vehicles with this modification does require a little bit of common sense. Dealers should not service the radio module." Also, apparently the radio module is so heavily integrated to the vehicle that removing it renders the vehicle undrivable (i.e. to send it off for modification).

deleted 2y ago

[deleted]