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

investor.gm.com

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

#11

Post by gowings97 »

altairprime wrote: post #3

Presumably related to: GM plans to phase out CarPlay in EVs, with Google’s help https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35389021 (38 days ago, 377 comments)

Kind of, but not really. What GM is proposing here goes even deeper.

There are three current solutions -

- (2018 -> Today) Some existing solution that runs QNX as the base OS, that runs Android Auto / Carplay as an Application

- (2023 - > Today) A new based OS that is a skinned version of Android Automotive OS (AAOS / https://developers.google.com/cars/design/automotive-os) that runs both Android Auto Carplay and Carplay as an application, with the Automaker working with Google to incorporate customizations along with patches and updates to the base OS. Think Samsung's customized version of Android, and how they work to implement patches for major OS updates from ASOP. The infotainment used on General Motor's Global B architecture uses this.

- This proposal (2025 Model Year -> Future) - runs a customized version of AAOS that does not have Android Auto / Carplay support. My guess is that Google is throwing them a bone here and offering extra support for the Automaker (deferring the Automaker's costs) if the Automaker allows Google to retain the usage data.

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

#12

Post by hgsgm »

altairprime wrote: post #3

Presumably related to: GM plans to phase out CarPlay in EVs, with Google’s help https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35389021 (38 days ago, 377 comments)

That's an amazing read. The GM guy is shamelessly going on and on about all the ways he will ruin the experience for drivers, so he can extract more money from them with hardware lock-in.

Google will cancel the project within a year after launching.

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

#14

Post by smileysteve »

tshaddox wrote: post #9
ghaff wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wouldn't go so far as to say that lack of Carplay would be a complete deal-breaker for me but it would sure be a huge entry in the "cons" column.

It wouldn’t be a dealbreaker for me if I was buying a low cost used car, although at this point it has been around for long enough that even the beater Camry rental I’m driving right now has it. But if I’m paying big bucks for a new car I can’t imagine not having CarPlay. Ironically it’s the expensive “high-tech” brands like Tesla and Rivian that don’t support it.

My Tesla driving friend let his Tesla subscription lapse over a card failure last week, and the infotainment system, that has Spotify -- with an account he pays for -- no longer functions.

But like, if he paired his bluetooth, he'd get Spotify playback capability, he'd just have to use his voice to explore Spotify music.

Meanwhile, me in my 2004; with an aftermarket radio - with wireless tethering to my phone OR a google Fi sim, can do Carplay OR independently run maps and spotify -- for $0 extra a month.

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

#15

Post by gowings97 »

steveBK123 wrote: post #5
gowings97 wrote: post #2

Infotainment has been commoditized by way of Android Automotive and Carplay. The perception that there is a subscription revenue opportunity for intotainment is misguided - the TAM is insignificant, and the net loss of prospective Customers that refuse to buy a vehicle without Android Auto or or Carplay far outweighs any potential subscription revenue. This will go over about as well as Cadillac Cue did from 2013-201…

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 modems already), saving profiles that save mechanical preferences / functions like mirror / seat settings.

People want buttons and knobs to control mechanical functions like HVAC, mirrors, and seats. People don't see the value associated with the premium price of having an driver to passenger end to end full screen display, such as what was first implemented on the Mercedes EQS and is now being implemented on the (Chinese made) 2024 Lincoln Nautilus.

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

#16

Post by gowings97 »

hgsgm wrote: post #12
altairprime wrote: post #3

Presumably related to: GM plans to phase out CarPlay in EVs, with Google’s help https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35389021 (38 days ago, 377 comments)

That's an amazing read. The GM guy is shamelessly going on and on about all the ways he will ruin the experience for drivers, so he can extract more money from them with hardware lock-in. Google will cancel the project within a year after launching.

This is the one thing I would love to see Google cancel, lmao.

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

#17

Post by [deleted] »

eganist wrote: post #10
raincom wrote: post #7

Mike Abbott was kicked out of Apple where he didn’t make any meaningful contribution. Why GM is picking him up? Another wasteful move.

> where he didn’t make any meaningful contribution. Super curious about this, what more can you share?

[deleted]

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

#18

Post by jdelman »

glanzwulf wrote: post #4

Hope he convinces them to go back on the stupid decision that is to abandon Carplay/Android Auto.

I think it's probably the opposite -- they've probably hired him to help build their new entertainment+surveillance stack.

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

#19

Post by throw9away6 »

jdelman wrote: post #18
glanzwulf wrote: post #4

Hope he convinces them to go back on the stupid decision that is to abandon Carplay/Android Auto.

I think it's probably the opposite -- they've probably hired him to help build their new entertainment+surveillance stack.

Probably, I just don’t think executives can drive that kind of innovation. Especially those who are in sustaining roles in already large and successful companies.

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

#20

Post by interestica »

throw9away6 wrote: post #19
jdelman wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's probably the opposite -- they've probably hired him to help build their new entertainment+surveillance stack.

Probably, I just don’t think executives can drive that kind of innovation. Especially those who are in sustaining roles in already large and successful companies.

But you just came up with his new slogan for their software+vehicles : "driving innovation"
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