What GM takes away, the aftermarket restores.
General Motors’ controversial determination to drop Apple CarPlay and Android Auto from most of its electrical autos now has a potential workaround. As seen by InsideEVs, an organization known as White Automotive and Media Services (WAMS) is promoting a brand new aftermarket improve equipment that restores the favored phone-mirroring options again into Chevy and GMC EVs.
On its web site, the corporate guarantees “totally built-in wired and wi-fi CarPlay and Android Auto in all of the methods you’ve come to count on (and a few you haven’t!) with out compromising any present options or performance.” The improve is presently appropriate with the Chevy Equinox, Blazer, and Silverado EVs, in addition to the GMC Sierra EV. (Sorry Cadillac!)
A video posted on the corporate’s web site exhibits off the improve — and it seems to be fairly good. The acquainted CarPlay and Android Auto interface is displayed on the central infotainment show, and the video guarantees “OEM like integration” together with your most well-liked voice assistant, whether or not its Siri or Google Assistant. You can show Apple Maps within the instrument cluster, together with turn-by-turn navigation within the Heads-Up Display.
It all seems to be slick {and professional}, however after all the satan is within the particulars.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem like an answer that can be broadly out there — at the very least not at first. WAMS says that because of the “complexity” of the set up course of, in addition to its want to offer the “absolute best buyer expertise,” the aftermarket equipment is just out there by way of one dealership, LaFontaine Chevrolet in Plymouth, Michigan. The set up price can be unavailable. We reached out to WAMS for remark and can replace this submit in the event that they reply.
GM first introduced that it was ditching CarPlay and Android Auto in its EVs in 2023, defending the choice as a want to supply a extra immersive and built-in expertise for purchasers that doesn’t skimp on options.
