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Ex-Apple VP Mike Abbott Joins General Motors as Exec Vice President, Software

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Re: Ex-Apple VP Mike Abbott Joins General Motors as Exec Vice President, Software

#101

Post by gavinmckenzie »

lbussell wrote: post #42
ubermonkey wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's just an amazingly boneheaded move, isn't it? I absolutely will not buy another car in the foreseeable future that lacks Carplay. It's too good, and too much better than any carmaker's attempts to integrate with phones or music players that came before. (I also won't pay EXTRA for it; looking at you, BMW.)

It's really not that good. On my Mazda, Apple CarPlay won't even let me change albums while I'm driving. Which encourages me to then pick up my phone, take my eyes off the road to unlock it with my face, and fumble around with the music app until I get to what I want. Mazda even disables the touch screen while driving, forcing you to use their navigation wheel, which is supposedly safer! So I don't understand why Car…

I love using the knob to navigate CarPlay, but I admit the Music app is nearly unusable with the knob and IMHO only marginally better with touch. The music app in CarPlay just generally sucks and appears to intentionally limit how deeply you can browse your library.

That said, in my experience Siri works well for music selection. I just hit the voice button on my steering wheel and ask for the playlist, album, or artist I want to hear.

Re: Ex-Apple VP Mike Abbott Joins General Motors as Exec Vice President, Software

#102

Post by LarryDarrell »

RandallBrown wrote: post #48
LarryDarrell wrote: post #26

The 2022 Chevy Silverado I rented died at 488 miles on the odometer. The roadside assistance mechanic said the transmission "lost data connection to the engine". Later, a tow truck had to drag it onto it's flatbed as the rear wheels were locked up. Also, apparently the tailgate is electric now. And for some reason it stopped working when the transmission died. Also also, there is no way to turn the truck off? When it…

> but I am gobsmacked at just how terrible modern vehicles are CarPlay, adaptive cruise control, lane assist, automatic lights (brights, on/off, turning), cameras, remote start from my phone, and lots of other things are awesome modern additions to cars that I wouldn't want to go without anymore.

I understand. There are many consumers like you.

We are simply speaking different languages because we value different things based on what we want from a vehicle.

My perspective is one from someone that does their own car maintenance/repair and has only owned used cars. When I look at a new car or truck today, I'm looking at components that are most affected by entropy. Of the features you listed, how many are likely to still work in 2033? 2043? Will any of them create a no-start condition or poor running condition if they fail? Is there a way to bypass the automatic lights with a manual switch if some part of the automatic light system becomes unobtainable at any price? Having any part of the engine ignition process connected to a DRM'ed internet connected remote start system seems insane to me, considering how many cars have problems with non-internet connected remote start systems.

I fully admit that my perspective is the minority, and it's rare to have someone agree with me on HN. However, I do find many comrades at the junkyards.

Re: Ex-Apple VP Mike Abbott Joins General Motors as Exec Vice President, Software

#103

Post by germinalphrase »

LarryDarrell wrote: post #102
RandallBrown wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but I am gobsmacked at just how terrible modern vehicles are CarPlay, adaptive cruise control, lane assist, automatic lights (brights, on/off, turning), cameras, remote start from my phone, and lots of other things are awesome modern additions to cars that I wouldn't want to go without anymore.

I understand. There are many consumers like you. We are simply speaking different languages because we value different things based on what we want from a vehicle. My perspective is one from someone that does their own car maintenance/repair and has only owned used cars. When I look at a new car or truck today, I'm looking at components that are most affected by entropy. Of the features you listed, how many are likel…

Are there many new vehicles that satisfy your conditions, or are you in the vintage camp?

Re: Ex-Apple VP Mike Abbott Joins General Motors as Exec Vice President, Software

#104

Post by ubermonkey »

lbussell wrote: post #42
ubermonkey wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's just an amazingly boneheaded move, isn't it? I absolutely will not buy another car in the foreseeable future that lacks Carplay. It's too good, and too much better than any carmaker's attempts to integrate with phones or music players that came before. (I also won't pay EXTRA for it; looking at you, BMW.)

It's really not that good. On my Mazda, Apple CarPlay won't even let me change albums while I'm driving. Which encourages me to then pick up my phone, take my eyes off the road to unlock it with my face, and fumble around with the music app until I get to what I want. Mazda even disables the touch screen while driving, forcing you to use their navigation wheel, which is supposedly safer! So I don't understand why Car…

That's a Mazda problem, then, not a Carplay problem. Carplay absolutely doesn't get in my way on those fronts in our VW.

Re: Ex-Apple VP Mike Abbott Joins General Motors as Exec Vice President, Software

#105

Post by ubermonkey »

p0wn wrote: post #44
lbussell wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's really not that good. On my Mazda, Apple CarPlay won't even let me change albums while I'm driving. Which encourages me to then pick up my phone, take my eyes off the road to unlock it with my face, and fumble around with the music app until I get to what I want. Mazda even disables the touch screen while driving, forcing you to use their navigation wheel, which is supposedly safer! So I don't understand why Car…

Your problem isn't CarPlay, it's Mazda's integration.

This is correct.

Re: Ex-Apple VP Mike Abbott Joins General Motors as Exec Vice President, Software

#106

Post by [deleted] »

foobiekr wrote: post #88
ubermonkey wrote: post #36

I'm stunned someone like GM could entice anyone from top-tier tech firms AT ALL, regardless of compensation.

Compensation and title are basically everything once you leave the IC role. Trampolining through GM is just fine if you want to land at some other mega company after. IMHO, most tech ICs have literally no idea what comp packages look like when you get out of the bottom and middle. Sure, they know that Pichai is making $220M a year but they recognize that's unusual. Making $10M+ a year, though, isn't that unusual in t…

[deleted]

Re: Ex-Apple VP Mike Abbott Joins General Motors as Exec Vice President, Software

#107

Post by raincom »

recursv_thnkng wrote: post #97

Mike is going to be shocked when he learns the majority of GM's software talent are nearing retirement or are fresh out of college with barely any background in programming. The company isn't the best at enticing and retaining software talent.

At least he can get another $30M c-level job elsewhere. Since the size of the pool of people at his level is small, bigger and better opportunities exist elsewhere. That’s what executive hunters do these days: pedigree, but not the results.

Re: Ex-Apple VP Mike Abbott Joins General Motors as Exec Vice President, Software

#108

Post by HeyLaughingBoy »

throw9away6 wrote: post #47
tough wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe GM needs to hire throw9away6 for driving innovation in their software dpt

I’d Probably be just as ineffective but you could pay me less

But they'll think you're more effective if they pay you more!

Re: Ex-Apple VP Mike Abbott Joins General Motors as Exec Vice President, Software

#109

Post by LarryDarrell »

germinalphrase wrote: post #103
LarryDarrell wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I understand. There are many consumers like you. We are simply speaking different languages because we value different things based on what we want from a vehicle. My perspective is one from someone that does their own car maintenance/repair and has only owned used cars. When I look at a new car or truck today, I'm looking at components that are most affected by entropy. Of the features you listed, how many are likel…

Are there many new vehicles that satisfy your conditions, or are you in the vintage camp?

I have a friend who has been a Automotive Engineer for 20 years and we have this conversation all the time. If I were to distill all our conversations down to one take away it would be this: There was a paradigm shift sometime shortly after the Great Recession. Before then, vehicles operated and degraded in expected and manageable ways.

I'm in the vintage camp at the moment. I just replaced the Chrysler ignition system that was in my old 80s Volvo for a Bosch one that came in a later model. That and replacing the timing belt took all of one weekend and $500 (I splurged on some new parts that I didn't technically need to). The next week I drove it cross country and had a blast, somehow having the time of my life despite not having the last 35 years of features that many people can't live without.

Re: Ex-Apple VP Mike Abbott Joins General Motors as Exec Vice President, Software

#110

Post by mattbrewsbytes »

gowings97 wrote: post #15
steveBK123 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yup, this reads like they decided to "buy a guy to build GMplay" rather than just use CarPlay. unlikely to go well.

They have this misguided perception that EVs require some deep level integration via some customized build of AAOS, that can't already be solved by individual apps on a smartphone. Namely - customizing charging times at home for off-peak rates / usage, identifying chargers on a specific route or daily commute, pre-warming or pre-cooling a car (which can be done already today because all these vehicles have LTE or 5G…

I downsized vehicles from a new one with Carplay to one with no touch screen and once your hands+fingers learn locations of buttons it is blissful to drive.

I can adjust nearly anything without taking my eyes off the road. I miss Carplay for the maps functionality but a properly placed phone holder can accomplish the same. I don't need 14" display of maps and entertainment options.

I would also suggest that EV's that require a large screen to explain charging options, rates, usages, etc. are doing it wrong. If the EV and its charging systems (internal and external) are that complex to monitor and manage then you have larger problems about UX.

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