As General Motors works to phase out gas-powered cars completely by 2035, it appears Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are going with them.
The automaker said it plans to get rid of both infotainment systems in its future electric vehicles, beginning with the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer, Reuters reported. The two softwares allow users to bypass built-in operating systems in their cars, instead using an emulated version of their phones on dashboard screens.
Instead of CarPlay, GM will offer its own Google-based software for drivers, including access to Google maps and Google Assistant. The forthcoming firmware will also feature apps like Audible and Spotify, according to Reuters.
Though GM aims to eliminate the systems in its forthcoming electric vehicles, it will keep them in its gas-powered cars, according to CNN.
GM executives told Reuters the company intends to separate cars from cell phones by phasing out technology like CarPlay.
“We have a lot of new driver assistance features coming that are more tightly coupled with navigation,” Mike Hichme, GM’s executive director of digital cockpit experience, told Reuters. “We don’t want to design these features in a way that are dependent on a person having a cellphone.”
Additionally, GM plans to implement a subscription model for services like Google Maps and Google Assistant several years down the line, Reuters reported. Those services will be free for the first eight years of the new infotainment system, according to Reuters.
“We do believe there are subscription revenue opportunities for us,” Edward Kummer, GM’s chief digital officer, told Reuters.
