GM-Built Honda EVs Will Keep Apple CarPlay, Android Auto Despite GM’s Phaseout
It’ll probably be the only way to get a GM-built EV crossover with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
General Motors is stepping back from widely used Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in a move that has been received poorly so far. But some GM-built vehicles will still offer the software, but Honda spokespeople have confirmed that Honda-branded EVs built by GM will keep the tech giants' software interfaces.
The first GM EV to ship without CarPlay or Android will be the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV, which will use unique infotainment software developed with the help of Google's owner, Alphabet. It'll be a product of Android Automotive—not the same as Android Auto—akin to how Polestars work, allowing GM to gather more data on customers' charging and driving habits.
Right alongside this Chevy will be the 2024 Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX, all three of which are midsize crossovers that are expected to be built together in Mexico. Despite visibly sharing interior components with GM products, according to GM Authority, the Honda and Acura will offer CarPlay and its Android equivalent. A statement from Honda confirmed that and expanded on a previous communique suggesting Honda wouldn't adopt the proprietary OS.
"Our customers find value in our support of CarPlay, Android Auto, and Google built-in and we now offer these connected solutions across our lineup," a Honda spokesperson said. "We will continue to offer a range of high quality, interactive solutions to provide value to our customers that match their own technology choices."
Offering both software systems in a single architecture may offer GM an out if its proprietary OS doesn't catch on with customers, which public response so far indicates it may not. It may also be a Honda-side decision favoring consistent software across its lineup. In either case, this lets GM play both sides—have its cake and eat it too.
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