Google and Apple have been trying to establish supremacy in the connected car for a while now, trying to develop an advanced car dashboard system that would offer a smarter and safer overall in-vehicle infotainment experience. But, it seems that none of them will get the exclusivity they are seeking from automakers, which are expected to support both systems so that they don’t lose customers whose smartphones could not be integrated with the vehicles they offer.
General Motors is one of those automakers that have opted to offer compatibility for both Google’s and Apple’s operating systems, with CEO Mary Barra recently announcing that the company will bring both Android Auto and CarPlay to 14 of the 19 Chevrolet models in the 2016 lineup.
“For most of us, our smartphones are essential,” said Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors. “Partnering with Apple and Google to offer CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility across the widest range of models in the industry is a great example of how Chevrolet continues to democratize technology that’s important to our customers.”
At Code Conference 2015, Barra revealed that General Motors has partnered up with Google and Apple, in order to integrate their in-car operating systems into almost all 2016 Chevy models, which will include Cruze, Camaro, Colorado, Corvette, Impala, Malibu, Spark and Volt, among others, with prices ranging between $15,000 and $55,000. The first car to get Android Auto and CarPlay is the Chevrolet Cruze. Apple’s and Google’s operating systems will be linked to the cars’ dashboards through Chevy’s MyLink infotainment system. This will allow car owners to connect their smartphones to their cars’ dashboards and use most of their features while driving in a safe manner, without getting distracted, as GM claims.
Vehicle occupants will be able to access various apps on their smartphones – regardless of whether they run on Android or iOS – through the cars’ 7-inch or 8-inch touch screens, with optimized interfaces that involve larger icons that are easy to see and select while driving. However, drivers will likely not be able to use all smartphone apps, because Google and Apple are expected to limit the number and type of apps that can be controlled through a car’s infotainment system, in order to prevent drivers from getting distracted. GM hasn’t revealed which apps will be available on Chevrolet’s Android Auto and CarPlay systems, but they will probably be limited to navigation and music streaming services. In addition to touch control, the systems will also respond to voice controls, allowing drivers to use them without having to take their eyes off the road or their hands off the wheel.
According to a recent report from Strategy Analytics, there are about 2.3 billion smartphones in use globally at the moment, with 80% running on Android, and only 15% on iOS. However, in the United States, the two leading mobile operating systems are practically tied, with Android smartphones having a 52-percent market share, and 43 percent of all smartphones in the country running on iOS.