We live in a digital world, and for many everyday people, their gadgets and gizmos are as essential to their well-being as food and water.
When it comes time for these consumers to look for a brand-new set of wheels, the most important feature in a car is not how much horsepower it makes, how fast it goes, or even how good or bad the fuel economy is. These car buyers are solely concerned about a vehicle's in-car technology.
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Not very long ago, having a touchscreen in a car was a premium feature reserved for luxury cars or the top-dollar, top-of-the-line versions of Fords, Mercurys, Toyotas, and Hondas.
These days, even the most basic Nissan Versa and Mitsubishi Mirage come with touchscreens, the features of which can make or break the sale of a new car.
Cadillac
General Motors' big mistake
Back in December 2023, General Motors (GM) made a radical move to its cars that would make it the odd one out amongst its competitors and other major automakers.
It made the decision to ditch using smartphone-mirroring interface software designed for automotive applications like Apple CarPlay and Google's Android Auto in favor of a proprietary infotainment software system called Ultifi.
In an article published in MotorTrend at the time, GM head of product for infotainment Tim Babbit reasoned that the decision was made due to the automaker's concern about distracted driving.
He characterized CarPlay and Android Auto as software with stability issues including "bad connections, poor rendering, slow responses, and dropped connections," which according to him, would result in "drivers pick up their phones again, taking their eyes off the road and totally defeating the purpose of these phone-mirroring programs."
A GM exec doubles down on a lambasted mistake
Despite receiving criticism from the CEO of crosstown Detroit rival Ford (F) , as well as auto-loving netizens online back when the story broke in December 2023, a GM executive used a recent appearance on a podcast to platform its commitment to its software.
On a recent appearance on The Verge's Decoder podcast, GM's senior vice president of software and services, Baris Cetinok, noted that despite the hate, the automaker is following through on its plans for software like CarPlay.
Centinok reasoned that GM's purpose in making cars was to create "experiences" that align with each car's character, which would be transmitted through the "experience" presented on the screens installed onto its cars.
"We are not shipping devices with just monitors; we’re not a monitor company. We’re building beautifully designed, complete thoughts and complete convictions," Centinok passionately told host and The Verge Editor-in-Chief Nilay Patel. "We say, 'This car is designed to do the following things awesomely.' This is Silverado, this is what it stands for and this is what it does. Let’s get to it."
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Although Centinok joined GM after the controversial decision, he still believes in a "seamless" and "painless" experience that would anger software boffins like him. He argued that most cars, i.e., those with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, do not provide a smooth, "seamless" experience when using multiple functions requiring the same touchscreen.
"When you want to create something so seamless, it’s hard to think about getting into a car and going, ‘Okay, so I’m doing highway trailering, but let me flip to a totally different user interface to pick my podcast,’" Centinok said. "So I pick my podcast, flip back to trailering. Oh, now I can also do Super Cruise trailering. Let me manage that. Then, wait, we’re now getting into potentially Level 3, Level 4 autonomy levels that should be deeply integrated with talking to the map where the lanes lie. But wait a minute, the map that I’m using doesn’t really talk to my car."
"At some point, you need to make that bold decision and say, 'I am not going to try to accommodate and figure out how to make all of these work. I’m going to just burn the bridges and burn the ships and commit.' We are going to create a deeply vertical, harmonious experience that works across the vehicle that is optimized for my vehicle."
Related: Apple unveils new CarPlay features drivers will cheer
Centinok's comments come at a time when Apple is dramatically revamping the CarPlay experience.
During Apple's Worldwide Developer's Conference (WWDC) on June 10, Apple showcased the new version of CarPlay's ability to be a flexible, customizable solution that seamlessly blends what's on a driver's phone with their car.
In this new version of CarPlay, the entire car experience is customizable by the manufacturer, and can be used anywhere there's a screen, including the gauge cluster and passenger-side screen.
Apple's Human Interface Designer, Ben Crick, says during its showcase video that the new CarPlay can be tweaked by automakers to meet their individual technological needs, limitations, and aesthetic standards.
"[Carplay is] designed to adapt to any vehicle drivetrain, feature set, and configuration. One screen or many, big screens or small, and any screen in between," Crick said in the video. "The result won't just look like Apple, and it also won't just look like a copy of the built-in system. It's designed to be a unique celebration of both brands."
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