The drivers have spoken: they are fed up with the technology of modern cars. They prefer something familiar for infotainment systems, like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, which offer a similar experience to Android and iOS, respectively. Manufacturers have responded by implementing these systems in virtually all new vehicles; even if, as often happens, some swim against the tide.
This is the case of General Motors (GM), which announced in early 2023 that it would abandon the implementation of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay; a decision that has already caused confusion, and which looks worse and worse as the months go by. No other major manufacturer has followed in its footsteps, and GM risks finding itself alone in the market.
Although General Motors has had little presence in Europe since it sold Opel in 2017, it continues to own some of the most popular car brands, such as Chevrolet and Cadillac. So we should not dismiss this decision as irrelevant, but then what is behind this decision?
Android Auto loses a manufacturer
Now, GM infotainment product manager Tim Babbit has finally explained the reasoning to Automotive trend; but the explanation is perhaps even more questionable than the decision itself. And, according to Babbit, GM’s motivation has been to improve road safety and the lives of its customers, suggesting that Android Auto is dangerous for drivers.
Babbit says safety was a major factor in the decision to end support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. distractions while driving. The executive harshly criticized the systems developed by Google and Apple, saying they had stability issues that manifested themselves in poor connections, image issues, slow response and dropped connections. And when these problems arise, the driver’s reaction is to pick up the cell phone to check what is happening and restart the connection. All this results in several seconds of your eyes not being focused on the road, which can lead to a serious accident.
Chevrolet will use its own system in cars like Corvettes
At GM, we believe that the solution consists of using the systems already integrated into the car, and thus preventing the user from using their cell phone while driving. And aware that they will receive a lot of criticism for this, they have made sure that their new system, called Ultifi, has Google apps pre-installed, in addition to other popular apps. For example, Google Maps and Google Assistant will be fully integrated on the system, as well as Spotify and Audible.
Babbit is right when he accuses Android Auto of being unstable; Readers of EL ESPAÑOL – El Androide Libre know this very well thanks to the number of bugs and problems discovered in Android Auto in the last year alone. And it’s true that this causes a lot of frustration among drivers, which can lead to poor decisions like using the cell phone while driving. However, embedded systems are also not perfect and when they fail, the user has no other alternative than to use the mobile; On the other hand, in the event of Android Auto failure, the driver still has the car’s own system as a second option.
Additionally, while driver safety is a very noble motivation, it is by no means the only one for GM; the other is simpler: money. The company’s CDO (Chief Digital Officer), Edward Kummer, admitted as much when he confirmed that GM was exploring ways to set up paid subscriptions in their systems, which would allow us to get features as long as we continue to pay. It is therefore entirely possible that in the future applications will only be available as a subscription, for example. If the driver could use Android Auto, GM would have no way to “force” them to pay to get what they already have for free.
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