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Android Auto Isn’t a Fantastic App, General Motors Says (And It’s Right)

General Motors will no longer offer Android Auto and CarPlay in its electric cars beginning in 2024. This decision sparked massive controversy, especially as the popularity of the two apps is currently on the rise.
Android Auto won't come back to GM EVs 26 photos
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The American carmaker will adopt Android Automotive, aiming for an integrated experience with more advanced capabilities that wouldn’t otherwise be possible on Android Auto and CarPlay.

Many people believe General Motors would backtrack on its decision and eventually bring back Android Auto and CarPlay to its vehicles. Scott Miller, vice president of software defined vehicle and operating systems at General Motors, suggests this won’t be the case.

Miller defends General Motors’ decision to ditch Android Auto and CarPlay, explaining that the two apps are just convenient. Nobody can tell they are fantastic, though, he continued, emphasizing that the carmaker is aiming for a more advanced experience.

Miller explains that General Motors thoroughly looked into feedback and discovered customers aren’t exactly satisfied with the way Android Auto and CarPlay work. Embedded systems just run out of the box, and users don’t have to mess with their phones to launch them.

The General Motors executive certainly has a good point here.

The experience with Android Auto and CarPlay leaves a lot to be desired. The two apps sometimes stop working all of a sudden without any change on the user side. Connectivity problems have been around for a very long time, especially in the Android Auto world. Cables that worked properly before an update no longer detected the phone after installing a new version. As such, users were often left without essential apps, such as Google Maps.

With an embedded system, everything just works. Android Automotive does not require a phone to run, as the operating system is installed at the hardware level.

General Motors emphasizes that embedded software also allows for new-generation features. For example, when setting Google Maps to provide guidance to a charging station, the application can instruct the vehicle to warm up the vehicle. When you arrive at the charging station, the battery already has the optimal temperature for efficient charging.

Eventually, Miller admits that all the criticism happening lately isn’t necessarily surprising. He says people got used to Android Auto and CarPlay, so moving them to something better is likely to face opposition. But it shouldn’t take too long before everyone discovers the benefits of an integrated system, he says.

The transition to a more innovative system wouldn’t happen overnight. Miller confirmed in an interview that such a process takes time, so while Android Automotive will become the sole option in its EVs next year, new capabilities will continue to be added over time as they are developed and tested by company engineers.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
Bogdan Popa profile photo

Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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