GM’s Apple CarPlay issues get worse.
There was one GM dealership in the whole United States that was allowed to install a “phone-mirroring system” to allow Android Auto and Apple CarPlay back inside GM’s EVs, but now that has been defunct.
Nico Demattia from TheDrive:
For some frustrated owners of GM‘s new electric cars, White Automotive seemed like a lifesaver. After GM decided to drop Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support in its Ultium-platform EVs, and soon its entire lineup, White stepped up with an aftermarket setup that dealers could install to restore both phone-mirroring systems to those models for new buyers. But that effort has already met its predictable end, as GM recently pushed the only Chevy dealer in the country that was installing them to stop—thereby also forcing White Automotive to discontinue the kit.
A source within GM confirmed to The Drive that the automaker had investigated how the integration was being done and found that it could have adverse impacts on “critical” vehicle functions and stop working altogether with future software updates. Meanwhile, the dealer in question—LaFontaine Chevrolet in Plymouth, Michigan—told us that GM instructed them to stop offering and installing White’s kit. And without that distribution channel, or any chance of getting another dealer on board, White Automotive—who declined to comment directly for this story—had to shut down the project.
Considering this aftermarket system gave users full control of the entire dash including the gauge cluster, it is a high-risk and safety concern if something were to go wrong.
The kit supported both wired and wireless projection for Apple and Google’s smartphones and integrated them across the cars’ infotainment screens, digital gauge clusters, and heads-up displays. It was a comprehensive implementation; drivers could even summon Siri or Google Assistant just as they would if those features were integrated from the factory.
Quite frankly, I’m surprised GM even allowed this one dealership to perform these installations. If they have a hard stance against CarPlay and Android Auto, just stick to it and don’t give people false hope that there is a solution. Now these poor customers are out probably several grand with hardware that is obsolete overnight:
If you check the listing on the company’s page now, its title merely reads, “This product has been discontinued,” and the associated image is blank. Below, a statement addressed to “valued customers,” reads:
“We have made the difficult decision to discontinue this product. Rather than removing it from our website entirely, we wanted to leave this notice so customers are aware of its discontinuation. This was not a decision we made lightly, but due to a variety of factors, continuing to offer this product is no longer viable in the long term.”
Where is the EU when you need them?
There was one GM dealership in the whole United States that was allowed to install a “phone-mirroring system” to allow Android Auto and Apple CarPlay back inside GM’s EVs, but now that has been defunct.
Nico Demattia from TheDrive:
For some frustrated owners of GM‘s new electric cars, White Automotive seemed like a lifesaver. After GM decided to drop Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support in its Ultium-platform EVs, and soon its entire lineup, White stepped up with an aftermarket setup that dealers could install to restore both phone-mirroring systems to those models for new buyers. But that effort has already met its predictable end, as GM recently pushed the only Chevy dealer in the country that was installing them to stop—thereby also forcing White Automotive to discontinue the kit.
A source within GM confirmed to The Drive that the automaker had investigated how the integration was being done and found that it could have adverse impacts on “critical” vehicle functions and stop working altogether with future software updates. Meanwhile, the dealer in question—LaFontaine Chevrolet in Plymouth, Michigan—told us that GM instructed them to stop offering and installing White’s kit. And without that distribution channel, or any chance of getting another dealer on board, White Automotive—who declined to comment directly for this story—had to shut down the project.
Considering this aftermarket system gave users full control of the entire dash including the gauge cluster, it is a high-risk and safety concern if something were to go wrong.
The kit supported both wired and wireless projection for Apple and Google’s smartphones and integrated them across the cars’ infotainment screens, digital gauge clusters, and heads-up displays. It was a comprehensive implementation; drivers could even summon Siri or Google Assistant just as they would if those features were integrated from the factory.
Quite frankly, I’m surprised GM even allowed this one dealership to perform these installations. If they have a hard stance against CarPlay and Android Auto, just stick to it and don’t give people false hope that there is a solution. Now these poor customers are out probably several grand with hardware that is obsolete overnight:
If you check the listing on the company’s page now, its title merely reads, “This product has been discontinued,” and the associated image is blank. Below, a statement addressed to “valued customers,” reads:
“We have made the difficult decision to discontinue this product. Rather than removing it from our website entirely, we wanted to leave this notice so customers are aware of its discontinuation. This was not a decision we made lightly, but due to a variety of factors, continuing to offer this product is no longer viable in the long term.”
Where is the EU when you need them?
Your high tech car is probably spying on you.
If you’re buying a modern vehicle, there is a very high chance that your driving is being monitored. You might now know it, but all your driving metrics such as speed, location, and how fast and what angle you’re turning are all being recorded by your vehicle. All this data is then being saved into the car’s computer, and sent wirelessly to the manufacturer.
The manufacturer could then use these driving metrics to do investigations for warranty claims, and they can deny your warranty since they think you might be a dangerous driver.
Could they also be working with insurance companies and furnishing them with this information, to determine if the customer violated their insurance policies by driving dangerously?
If you’re buying a modern vehicle, there is a very high chance that your driving is being monitored. You might now know it, but all your driving metrics such as speed, location, and how fast and what angle you’re turning are all being recorded by your vehicle. All this data is then being saved into the car’s computer, and sent wirelessly to the manufacturer.
The manufacturer could then use these driving metrics to do investigations for warranty claims, and they can deny your warranty since they think you might be a dangerous driver.
Could they also be working with insurance companies and furnishing them with this information, to determine if the customer violated their insurance policies by driving dangerously?
It wouldn’t surprise me.
Take this GR Corolla for example, where 2 of them caught on fire and one person was denied a warranty claim because they were driving “dangerously.”
How did Toyota know that?
They said at some point in the car’s life it sent out a data packet that included the car’s speed. They won’t tell me when or where so I don’t know how relevant it is, but they said the car had gone 114 mph and that is abuse of the vehicle. They don’t care that the car comes with a track day, it’s abused as soon as it’s over a certain speed, apparently.
The point of this article isn’t to determine who is at fault with the claim, but to let you know that your modern high tech vehicle knows what you’re doing, and that data can and will be used against you.
The GR Corolla is almost like a track car disguised as a street car, and even comes with a complimentary free track day where you will easily go over 114 mph, but somehow that data was used against this person whose hot hatch (pun intended) burned down to the ground.
Check out this video that explains more in depth about these metrics being collected by your car, specifically Toyota.