General Motors has recently disabled the third-party kit from White Automotive & Media Services (WAMS) that brings Android Auto and Apple CarPlay to GM cars. It is not a secret that General Motors had a campaign against third-party smart driving systems as it opted to develop its infotainment system that integrates Google’s technology.
Since many people still want or require these third-party infotainment systems from Android and Apple, organizations have developed retrofits to bring the tech to GM cars, which the company does not want.
GM Disables Android Auto, Apple CarPlay Third-Party Kit
GM Authority has recently reported that General Motors has disabled the third-party kits that deliver the Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connected driving systems. The technology from WAMS was introduced last year as an intuitive solution to bring back Android Auto and Apple CarPlay to GM cars.
However, after it made headlines and grew in popularity, that is when GM started to notice what it offered to the public. Earlier this month, it was reported that its promotional video was taken down from YouTube.
The report also noticed that the product was removed from WAMS’ website, with its listing now saying “This product has been discontinued.” According to a report from The Drive, the dealership that offers this in Michigan revealed that GM told them to stop its installation.
The retrofit technology from WAMS reportedly costs around $900 to $1,000 for the entire package, including installation.
GM’s Connected Driving Experience For Its Cars
In the past years, General Motors has been adamant that it does not want third-party driving systems to be present in its vehicles, especially for its latest releases. With this, the company announced that it is developing a new infotainment system that removes these technologies, switching to a self-made one.
The company revealed that they have no plans to make these connected driving systems available on their platform, defending their decision saying that this is the more ideal and safe experience for drivers.
Because of this, GM faced criticisms from rivaling car companies, including Ford, who threw shade against the company and its CEO.
Since Android Auto and Apple CarPlay were removed, customers have looked for options to retrofit these systems back to GM cars, but the company did not let this slide and maintained its stance.
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