GM eliminated Apple CarPlay and Android Auto from its EVs — this upgrade adds them back

What GM takes away, the aftermarket restores.

General Motors’ arguable determination to driblet Apple CarPlay and Android Auto from astir of its electrical vehicles now has a imaginable workaround. As noticed by InsideEVs, a institution called White Automotive and Media Services (WAMS) is advertising a caller aftermarket upgrade kit that restores the celebrated phone-mirroring features backmost into Chevy and GMC EVs.

On its website, the institution promises “fully integrated wired and wireless CarPlay and Android Auto successful each the ways you’ve travel to expect (and immoderate you haven’t!) without compromising immoderate existing features aliases functionality.” The upgrade is presently compatible pinch the Chevy Equinox, Blazer, and Silverado EVs, arsenic good arsenic the GMC Sierra EV. (Sorry Cadillac!)

A video posted connected the company’s tract shows disconnected the upgrade — and it looks beautiful good. The acquainted CarPlay and Android Auto interface is displayed connected the cardinal infotainment display, and the video promises “OEM for illustration integration” pinch your preferred sound assistant, whether its Siri aliases Google Assistant. You tin show Apple Maps successful the instrumentality cluster, including turn-by-turn navigation successful the Heads-Up Display.

It each looks slick and professional, but of people the devil is successful the details.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t look for illustration a solution that will beryllium wide disposable — astatine slightest not astatine first. WAMS says that owed to the “complexity” of the installation process, arsenic good arsenic its desire to supply the “best imaginable customer experience,” the aftermarket kit is only disposable done 1 dealership, LaFontaine Chevrolet successful Plymouth, Michigan. The installation costs is besides unavailable. We reached retired to WAMS for remark and will update this station if they respond.

GM first announced that it was ditching CarPlay and Android Auto successful its EVs successful 2023, defending the decision arsenic a desire to connection a much immersive and integrated acquisition for customers that doesn’t skimp connected features.

Of course, astir customers person travel to trust connected telephone projection to entree their preferred media players and interaction list. And galore person been vocal astir their opposition to removing that capacity from immoderate vehicle. Meanwhile, GM’s rivals person been unsubtle astir their ain ongoing commitment to keeping CarPlay and Android Auto for early models.