GM Brings Back CarPlay, But EV Buyers Still Miss Out

CarPlay-Less

A major part of modern motoring is wired or wireless screen mirroring, or as we know it: Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. These two major tech companies have changed the way we interact with our cars on a daily basis, so much so that we can’t imagine worlds without them. It’s no surprise that car brands saw an opportunity to replicate the system themselves; why give it all to Apple and Google?

General Motors (GM) and all its might decided a few years ago to remove Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. While gas-powered GM cars kept the systems in some capacity, the EVs lost them completely, and it seems they will never get them back.

GM EV = No CarPlay

GM recently announced new pickup models for the 2027 model year, and the launch of these models marks the return of fully supported Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Most people rejoiced, thinking the return of screen-mirroring features would roll out across the whole GM portfolio, but the automaker quickly quashed that notion.

GM confirmed that while CarPlay and Android Auto are coming back, they will be exclusive to gas-powered GM models; EVs will still lack these sought-after features. Instead of using third-party systems, GM has its own system, built on Android Automotive OS. Initially, GM explained the move to remove CarPlay from its vehicles as a way to protect buyers and owners from having their data shared with Apple. While that sounds like a noble idea, the truth is GM has instead kept its customers’ data in-house.

Highly Dependent

Phone projection systems are about as essential as anything else a car comes with nowadays, which makes GM’s move strange: it basically excludes a key feature from its EVs, a segment anybody would be keen to grow. Studies have shown how important screen mirroring is to customers, and more than half say it’s a deal-breaker.

Some numbers even show that 80% of new car buyers would not consider any model without these features. Furthermore, over 80% of drivers prefer third-party projection apps over brands’ in-house systems, and more than 80% also use phone projection every time they drive.