GM says safety is a reason it's dropping Apple CarPlay, Android Auto

General Motors announced its intention to remove Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality from its upcoming EVs earlier this year, and internet comments sections haven't been kind since. As the first of many EVs to follow – the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV – hits the market, GM is expanding on its initial explanations for dropping the tech. Motor Trend spoke with Tim Babbit, GM’s head of product for infotainment, to learn more.

Attributed to Babbit, from the story: “They have stability issues that manifest themselves as bad connections, poor rendering, slow responses, and dropped connections. And when CarPlay and Android Auto have issues, drivers pick up their phones again, taking their eyes off the road and totally defeating the purpose of these phone-mirroring programs. Solving those issues can sometimes be beyond the control of the automaker.”

Babbit suggests that a world without Apple CarPlay or Android Auto will be a safer one, as folks won’t be looking to control their infotainment systems via their phones. However, Babbit also tells MT that this theory hasn’t been tested in either the lab or the real world yet.