GM’s replacement for CarPlay is due at the end of 2023, but its dealers are in the dark about when that will be and what it will do to sales when buyers figure it out.
This is a way to get consumers to go to a subscription based system for getting features they already have on the supercomputer in their pocket.
Other articles about GM’s plan include things like “Google Maps included free for 8 years!”
Well what happens after 8 years? What about if I sell the car? Tesla already has AutoPilot as a non-transerrable item. Even though you might have paid for it, the person you sell the car to has to pay for it again.
“Free” to you likely just means that GM has paid Google for access, and that cost is built into the cost of the car. So it’s not really free.
OnStar costs like $30/mo and is probably required for an internet connection so you can use the “free” Google Maps. Or they’ll sell you some overpriced cellular plan. Or you’ll need to add your car as a separate device on your cell plan for some extra monthly fee.
Do I have to sign in to the car’s version of Google Maps?
What if you prefer Apple Maps and have locations saved there?
The car integration lets me use hands free to initiate streaming music. Using a Bluetooth connection for that means I might need to pick up my phone and unlock it while driving in order to be able to.
But really they want to sell you a Sirius XM plan instead.