The Slow Fight for Control Over In-Car Technology ⇥ theatlantic.com

Patrick George, the Atlantic:

Now one of the world’s biggest car companies is taking it away. Last month, General Motors CEO Mary Barra announced that new cars made by the auto giant won’t support CarPlay and its counterpart, Android Auto. Ditching smartphone mirroring may seem to make as much sense as removing cup holders: Recent preliminary data from AutoPacific, a research firm, suggest that CarPlay and Android Auto are considered must-have features among many new-car shoppers. But according to GM, the company can create an even better experience for drivers by dropping Apple and making its own software. And like it or not, the move says a lot about where the auto industry is headed.

The headline of this article — “Enjoy CarPlay While You Still Can” — does not adequately summarize its substance, which is that while most automakers remain committed to supporting Android Auto and CarPlay, a handful are either dropping it or never supported it in the first place. Tesla, for example, has never officially supported either system and it has not hurt the company’s sales nearly as much as have its ageing product line and fascist CEO. The new Hummer also seems to be selling well, unfortunately, even though its Android-based system sounds clunky and is bad for privacy.

I cannot imagine going back to a pre-CarPlay era. I like bringing my music collection seamlessly into my car, having Maps and Messages at my disposal, and not needing to sync anything with a different system. I wish I could replace Siri with something even borderline functional, though.

CarPlay Ultra, on the other hand, has not moved the needle for me, at least based on early reviews. The problem CarPlay solves is that it augments the infotainment system with the same environment I am used to elsewhere while still letting the rest of the car feel normal. CarPlay Ultra attempts to replace the entire dashboard, which has not so far been a problem I want solved. I worry that this could be a step too far for some automakers, too, and I hope it does not nudge more of them toward abandoning CarPlay in favour of a parasitic relationship with customers’ bank accounts. Is a purchase in the tens of thousands of dollars not enough for these massive corporations?