GM changes infotainment strategy for future EVs

General Motors Co. on Friday said it’s moving away from using the phone projection systems of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Instead, the Detroit automaker plans to use infotainment systems developed with Google on future electric vehicles. The system will be integrated with applications such as Google Maps, Google Assistant, Audible, Spotify and others.

The new system will be available first on the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV and later on other select EVs including the 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV, 2024 Cadillac CELESTIQ, and the 2025 GMC Sierra EV. Future EVs with this new infotainment system will also have GM’s new Ultifi software platform to enable ongoing innovation from the automaker and third-party collaborators.

The system could give GM a chance to capture more data on how consumers drive and charge EVs.

“As we scale our EVs and launch our Ultifi software platform, we can do more than ever beforewith in-vehicle technologies and over-the-air updates,” said Edward Kummer, GM’s chief digital officer. “All of this is allowing us to constantly improve the customer experience we can offer across our brands.”

As GM scales its electric vehicles it also will be scaling its software platforms to help customers engage more with their vehicles with experiences like: EV routing based on real-time data including the state of charge, finding charging stations and sharing availability on-demand based on the vehicle’s state of charge, and creating navigation routes to use driver assistance technologies like GM’s Super Cruise.

GM customers with Apple and Android smartphones still will have access to hands-free calling,hands-free voice texting and streaming music through Bluetooth.

At this time, vehicles powered by gas and diesel engines are not affected by the new strategy and still will have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The 2024 EVs that will retain Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability include: