General Motors has been firm in its stance against offering Apple CarPlay, but a new solution allows you to add it to your GM electric vehicle. The company ditched the feature in its electric vehicles and then announced it would phase out phone mirroring in all its cars. However, a $199 plug-and-play USB device called the EV Play LT offers wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability.
The EV Play LT requires the owner to install an application on the infotainment system, but the company says the installation should take no more than a few minutes. It also doesn’t require the owner to make any mods to the car. A dealer previously attempted to retrofit the technology into GM vehicles but was pressured by the automaker to discontinue it.
View Price on AmazonThe EV Play LT will begin shipping the week of June 8. It is a one-time purchase with no subscriptions, which feels like a win for consumers. Motor1’s Take: GM’s decision to ditch CarPlay compatibility is a selfish one. It’s an option consumers want, and they should be able to choose it, even if it’s a degraded experience.
The automaker talks a lot about giving consumers a choice with powertrains, but that kind of liberty doesn’t seem to extend to how consumers use their GM vehicles. If GM is confident in its in-house infotainment system, it wouldn’t be worried about consumers choosing to use CarPlay. The controversy surrounding CarPlay has been ongoing, with some arguing that it’s a necessary feature for a seamless driving experience.
Source: motor1.com
