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GM says it's dropping Apple CarPlay and Android Auto because they're unsafe

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Re: GM says it's dropping Apple CarPlay and Android Auto because they're unsafe

#352
post #334

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The infotainment is sluggish not the phone.

That's really odd. As far as I know carplay just sends video data to the screen and the screen shows it. It's like an hdmi cable in that regard. I would say it's a problem with your car, then. My volkswagen has absolutely no issues with carplay.

[it] just sends video data to the screen and the screen shows it. It's like an hdmi cable in that regard

Spoken by someone who's never had to troubleshoot HDCP handshake issues with hdmi cables.

Re: GM says it's dropping Apple CarPlay and Android Auto because they're unsafe

#353

Automobile companies tried for years to make a decent infotainment system in cars, and almost universally they were all terrible no matter how expensive the vehicle. Finally Android Auto and CarPlay gave everyone what they wanted - decent access to music on their phone, call capabilities that actually work, and program integration with things they actually use with internet service they already have. Then manufacture…

It’s interesting how you correctly identify that this is a massive play for control by Apple and Google, and yet you still seem to sympathise with their position! I can completely understand why vehicle manufacturers are so wary. Just look at the history of how Apple, Google, etc companies have behaved when it comes to “partnerships”. Look at the App Store. Look at what Google did to supposedly open source Android. I…

Right, correct, and I understand your position, but the offerings from the automobile manufacturers came with a 1000x markup for stuff that didn't even work half the time ... unless you paid the entire cost of manufacturing an entire head unit all over again.

A premium vehicle I owned (Mercedes Benz) needed the dealer to install the new maps, only had support for BT music on my phone, and cost more than a decent Android tablet each time I wanted new maps.

Honestly, if the automobile manufacturers want to wrest back control from Google/Apple they had better up their game while lowering their greed.

Before Android/iOS was viable, they felt no shame about their display of naked greed when it came to nickle-and-diming the owner.

If they want people to use their system as anything other than an interface to a phone, they need to make the updates free, make the system reliable, and make it so much better than the basic phone interface that people prefer their system to the Android/iOS one.

Re: GM says it's dropping Apple CarPlay and Android Auto because they're unsafe

#354

Automobile companies tried for years to make a decent infotainment system in cars, and almost universally they were all terrible no matter how expensive the vehicle. Finally Android Auto and CarPlay gave everyone what they wanted - decent access to music on their phone, call capabilities that actually work, and program integration with things they actually use with internet service they already have. Then manufacture…

> Finally Android Auto and CarPlay gave everyone what they wanted

Bzzt.

What I want is what I have: there's a $10 bluetooth receiver hooked to the car audio input jack, and a $10 phone holder on top of the dash, and a $10 USB charger plugged into the 12V. If phones routinely came with headphone jacks, I could skip the bluetooth intermediate.

So: when I start the car, whatever phone I have paired reconnects with the bluetooth receiver and plays what I want through the dumb speaker system. If I want to run a map app, I do that. If I want to make a call, I can do that. The phone is in charge of muting the music when a call comes in. It's very good at that.

If I change software on my phone, the new things work in the car. If I want to replace the phone with something not tied to Google or Apple, I can.

The car can't report its location, can't be remotely immobilized, can't show me advertising. No new subscription. No bugs in the car system to exploit; no bugs in the car system to brick the system. Easily and cheaply replaceable parts.

I don't understand why any driver would want more integration than this. Somebody suggested that the car should tell the mapping system when I've clicked the turn signal on or off, but if you need that level of detailed support when driving, I think maybe you shouldn't be driving while distracted by a mapping system at all.

Re: GM says it's dropping Apple CarPlay and Android Auto because they're unsafe

#355
post #354

Automobile companies tried for years to make a decent infotainment system in cars, and almost universally they were all terrible no matter how expensive the vehicle. Finally Android Auto and CarPlay gave everyone what they wanted - decent access to music on their phone, call capabilities that actually work, and program integration with things they actually use with internet service they already have. Then manufacture…

> Finally Android Auto and CarPlay gave everyone what they wanted Bzzt. What I want is what I have: there's a $10 bluetooth receiver hooked to the car audio input jack, and a $10 phone holder on top of the dash, and a $10 USB charger plugged into the 12V. If phones routinely came with headphone jacks, I could skip the bluetooth intermediate. So: when I start the car, whatever phone I have paired reconnects with the b…

That’s Android Auto/Carplay, except it uses WiFi or USB, for a better connection.

Re: GM says it's dropping Apple CarPlay and Android Auto because they're unsafe

#356

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a data point, I buy used cars because they are not a tool I use for work so they are not like my laptop. It's pointless to pay the full price for a car: it is 100% a cost, the car has not ways to give me back some of the money I spend on it. So my cars are always about 5 or 6 years old when I buy them. I optimize for price and costs of running and maintaining them. What's important is that they handle well, brake…

How long do you keep such cars? Also, 5/6 years old depending on mileage & make is usually the time for some expensive part replacements. Eg. water pump, thermostat & related sensors for BMW F30.

I kept one car for 11 years. I was doing very little km. I bought my current car 3 years ago. I'm doing more km now. Maybe my next car has already been sold. I'm not liking what I see around. At least the lower end cars I buy have less enshittyfication inside. My friend's Mercedes and BMWs are a nightmare. They want to do too much and in their own way. They (and their manufacturers) should accept that they are only tools like a screwdriver.

Re: GM says it's dropping Apple CarPlay and Android Auto because they're unsafe

#357

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do they really? Most recent cars I've seen have a touchscreen LCD popping up out of the dash and it all looks rather custom. Are there some kind of standards like double-DIN?

One option is standalone CarPlay and Android Auto head units - search for carpuride or Atoto for examples. There’s other manufacturers as well. I recall seeing model specific replacement head units for the pop up type display you describe but can’t find them now

> One option is standalone CarPlay and Android Auto head units - search for carpuride or Atoto for examples.

What GP complained about was that the factory-installed head units have very non-standard shapes for everything but the screen, and even then it'd be glued into some molded piece of plastic trim which has a non-regular shape in the dashboard.

You'd literally have to cut out the trim with a saw and refinish it in order to use the din/double-din standard sizes.

Re: GM says it's dropping Apple CarPlay and Android Auto because they're unsafe

#358

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've never been in a Tesla but does that mean that you can't pull it open with your hands? I'll put that into a checklist of things to try whenever I'll buy my next car.

Correct. Worst rental car experience of my life.

OMG, thanks. I'll put Tesla on my no buy / no rent list.

Re: GM says it's dropping Apple CarPlay and Android Auto because they're unsafe

#359
post #33

I've never owned a car made by GM, but a decision like this guarantees I never will. I don't buy their take that the safety issues are because Android Auto and CarPlay are buggy and have connection issues and other crap that cause people to use their phone directly. I've only had a new enough car to use Android Auto for a year and half now, but I've literally never encountered a bug that required me to touch my phone…

> and likely want to find ways to monetize things that people can do with their own interface.

There's no "likely" about it: they've publicly said that they intend to be making $25B/yr in subscription revenue from this.

Re: GM says it's dropping Apple CarPlay and Android Auto because they're unsafe

#360

Automobile companies tried for years to make a decent infotainment system in cars, and almost universally they were all terrible no matter how expensive the vehicle. Finally Android Auto and CarPlay gave everyone what they wanted - decent access to music on their phone, call capabilities that actually work, and program integration with things they actually use with internet service they already have. Then manufacture…

It’s interesting how you correctly identify that this is a massive play for control by Apple and Google, and yet you still seem to sympathise with their position! I can completely understand why vehicle manufacturers are so wary. Just look at the history of how Apple, Google, etc companies have behaved when it comes to “partnerships”. Look at the App Store. Look at what Google did to supposedly open source Android. I…

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