5 Reasons Why GM Dealers Are Worried Nobody Will Buy Their Cars Without CarPlay

The American carmaker plans to move to electric vehicles exclusively by 2035, and the closer it gets to this milestone, the closer it's also moving to the Android Auto and CarPlay demise in its cars.

A recent report cited GM dealerships being very concerned that this new strategy could backfire, eventually pushing customers to other brands. Eventually, family-owned businesses could suffer from a controversial decision that General Motors shows no intention of undoing.

"Why fix something that's not broken?" one dealership asked. CarPlay works correctly for most drivers, allowing everybody to have their apps and data anywhere they go.

CarPlay adoption is on the rise

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to see why GM dealers are concerned about this sudden change. CarPlay adoption is on the rise, so the carmaker is dropping the screen mirroring system at a time when more developers bring their apps to the platform, and users consider CarPlay a must-have vehicle system.

Apple's data shows that nearly eight in ten US car buyers wouldn't consider buying a model without CarPlay. If these numbers are accurate, 80 percent of GM's potential customers could switch to Ford or other brands, especially as the rest of the market seems committed to continuing to offer CarPlay in their vehicles.

With the new-generation CarPlay due in the fall, General Motors has picked an awful time to announce its strategy. Everybody will talk about the new CarPlay in just a few months, and considering Apple is a marketing genius and a money-making machine, I expect its presentation and demos to wow the audience.

Potential GM customers won't be part of the fun as the American carmaker goes all-in on Android Automotive in its cars.

iPhones sell like hotcakes

While Samsung is the world's number one smartphone maker, Apple's iPhone dominates the mobile market in the United States. According to IDC data, Apple sold 226.4 million iPhones last year, capturing a global market share of 18.8 percent.

With an iPhone in almost every pocket, not only that Apple is a money-making machine, but iPhones also make CarPlay a highly desirable and widely adopted feature.

Connecting the smartphone to the head unit is convenient, and drivers have become familiar with the system. Carmakers pushed customers to CarPlay, as their lazy software efforts a decade ago turned phone projection systems into convenient alternatives offering easy access to Google Maps and Spotify.

Android Automotive is still in the early days

Convincing customers to give up on CarPlay after previously telling them to use the system is extremely difficult and close to impossible.

Drivers need an advanced alternative, but Android Automotive is still in its early days, making slow progress in the United States and the rest of the world. While AAOS does not require a mobile device, some features require a Google account. Drivers relying exclusively on Apple software might refuse the switch, especially considering the Google vs. Apple dispute on privacy and security topics.

Nobody likes subscriptions

The switch from Android Auto and CarPlay to Android Automotive paves the way for a concept customers have always hated.

General Motors could use this transition to transform the infotainment system into a money-making machine using subscriptions. Nobody likes subscriptions, and what's more, nobody wants to pay for infotainment capabilities they should otherwise use at no cost.

Subscriptions are the new trend in the automotive industry, but General Motors is the first company to embrace such an aggressive strategy against Android Auto and CarPlay. Tesla and Rivian don't offer the two systems either. Still, General Motors is trying to convince customers to give up on features the company praised several times.

GM showed no intention to accept customer feedback

The dispute between General Motors and diehard CarPlay fans is reaching a new level.

While the carmaker promises that its Android Automotive-powered solution would blow everybody's minds, the company's lack of interest in customer feedback will likely backfire in this saga. General Motors has shown awkward stubbornness, and drivers seem ready to respond similarly.

In the last few weeks, I've seen many General Motors customers claiming their next car wouldn't come from this company. It's not only due to the lack of CarPlay but its strategy of ignoring feedback, insisting on a concept that drivers have been very vocal about.

General Motors shows no intention of reverting its decision despite all the criticism received on almost every channel. Therefore, the 2024 Blazer EV will spearhead a highly controversial push, so dealerships will have a hard time selling cars without such a popular feature. I expect General Motors to rely heavily on Android Automotive marketing in the coming months, as the company must convince its potential customers that its CarPlay replacement is at least as convenient as the solution they've become addicted to.