General Motors’ decision to remove Apple CarPlay and Android Auto from its upcoming electric vehicles has set off a wave of frustration—not only among tech enthusiasts, but increasingly among everyday drivers who expect their phones to “just work” when they get into a car. The move was strongly defended this week by CEO Mary Barra and executive Sterling Anderson in an interview with The Verge, marks a major break from industry convention and a big bet on GM’s ability to deliver a better in-car experience of its own.
Barra defended the choice by saying GM wants to “do it right,” building a unified digital system deeply tied to vehicle functions, safety systems, and voice controls rather than relying on “clunky” phone projection (how they describe ApplePlay and Android Auto). Anderson compared CarPlay to “mirroring your phone onto your laptop”—a temporary bridge that doesn’t take advantage of what the hardware can really do, a peculiar comparison that misses the point.
Instead, GM is building a new Google-based infotainment stack with native apps from GM, AI-powered voice commands, and deep EV integration. He also compared their decision to Steve Job’s unpopular decision to remove the floppy drive from his computers. When hinted at, they avoided any mention of this decision being a way to generate new revenue, but Barra has said at other times that this could bring in billions of dollars.
I believe this is a very poor decision that reflects a lack of understand all of the ramifications that will result, particularly in the rental car market.
What happens when someone gets into a GM car for the first time on a rental lot? CarPlay and Android Auto have become a universal interface; you plug in your phone, and your music, messages, and navigation appear instantly. Your podcast or music resumes from the same spot where you were when you got off the plane. You have access to your apps, including those with paid subscriptions to audio books, music, and more.
Consistency and familiarity matters most when you’re on the road in an unfamiliar city. Rent a new GM car without these capabilities and you’ll quickly discover there’s no way to connect your phone the way you’re used to. No Apple Maps, no subscription music through your phone, no messages displayed safely on the screen—just GM’s own system, which may require setting up and subscribing to a new account or using unfamiliar apps.
Does GM expect renters to figure out their new system while rushing to pick up their car or are they prepared for the rental car attendants to explain how to listen to your music? It reminds me of the fiasco when Hertz purchased thousands of Telslas and renters rejected them out of hand because they were unfamiliar with the entirely new interface, and Hertz made no provisions for training. For the customer, it’s a moment of confusion and frustration; for GM, it’s a potential deal-breaker that leaves people walking away thinking, I’ll never rent—or buy—that car again.
GM’s CEO Barra and Chief Product Officer Sterling Anderson argue that once people experience GM’s system, they won’t miss CarPlay. And perhaps that’s true—eventually. The problem is the transition. Until GM’s ecosystem of apps, maps, and assistants is as polished, flexible, and familiar as what Apple and Google offer, removing these systems feels like taking away the steering wheel before perfecting self-driving.
GM isn’t all wrong to want tighter integration. Chinese companies have done this quite well. A software-defined car that connects seamlessly to charging, navigation, voice, and safety systems is a logical next step.
But GM is underestimating how much of daily driving now flows through the phone—music, podcasts, calendars, texts, and directions. For many drivers, including me, CarPlay and Android Auto are not luxuries; they’re the connective tissue between our digital lives and our cars.
Here are some of the comments on TheVerge reacting to this interview:
I got a 2025 GM EV mainly for its accessibility features like adaptive cruise control and lane assist. While I generally enjoy the vehicle, there are several UI and UX choices that make it challenging to operate a car weighing over 5,000 lbs (2300 kg). Google Maps is “integrated,” but it lacks full access to features like Timeline and Notes. The music player interface is terrible, and the Spotify and YouTube Music apps fall well short compared to the versions on the phone sitting just inches away on the wireless charger. Maybe Google Gemini will improve things, but it feels like they’re just removing options of me being a repeat customer.
This is way more GM evil than Google evil (remember – they are blocking Android Auto too). GM wants to sell subscriptions to the customer for in-vehicle internet service. If you are projecting your phone, you have no need of GM’s internet to power your infotainment.
Plunked down in a Toyota Corolla at Heathrow in London two weeks ago. Paired my iPhone to the car before leaving the rental car lot. Apple CarPlay immediately appeared. Drove that car for 8 days. Never could figure out how to make the darn cruise control work in the Corolla. But the familiarity of Apple maps and rest of the interface kept me safe while driving on the other side of the road in a country I had not driven in since 2016.
The section where they were justifying why they are not using CarPlay was cringeworthy to listen to. It was one of those pitches where they thought they could power their way through their talking points despite them not being any good. The audience is not dumb and can see that GM has taken the wrong approach here, despite their poorly communicated insistence.