GM finds splitscreen solution for CarPlay and Android Auto

A new UI that features the interfaces will debut in the 2027 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups.

GM

General Motors has backtracked a bit on its pledge to ditch CarPlay and Android Auto. The company will support both in a revamped infotainment system that will first be available in the 2027 Chevrolet Silverado and 2027 GMC Sierra pickup trucks. It will be available on other models later.

Including a display on which a passenger in the front seat can stream video, the new trucks have 60 inches of screen real estate. GM is taking advantage of that space by offering CarPlay and Android Auto in a splitscreen view. As such, drivers will be able to access CarPlay and Android Auto functions while still being able to see vehicle gauges. They won't necessarily have to swap screens, which may help reduce distractions. GM told Bloomberg it worked with Apple and Google on this approach.

GM

"We were one of the first automakers to bring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto into our gas-powered vehicles. Now with the new UI, we've integrated the experience more deeply than ever before in our light-duty pickups," Mike Wahlstrom, GM's executive director of software product management, said in a Q&A. "People really like CarPlay and Android Auto because they're so user-centric. We heard from customers that they want that same simplicity while still having quick access to everything their vehicle can do. Our next-gen UI brings those together in a cohesive way."

The automaker announced three years ago that it would ditch CarPlay and Android Auto from electric vehicles in favor of a bespoke infotainment system that uses Gemini. It planned to do the same in gas-powered vehicles.

It had several reasons for doing so, such as potentially monetizing its infotainment system through subscriptions. However, arguably the most pressing concern was that CarPlay and Android Auto typically take over the display. This can be a problem (one that many carmakers have to contend with) when infotainment systems are used to display vehicle gauges, as is often the case with EVs. The splitscreen format may be a solution to that issue.

GM hasn't said whether it will bring CarPlay back to EVs — the company's Q&A about the revamped UI doesn't mention EVs at all. Its infotainment system still works with some phone apps, though. GM EVs that lack CarPlay can access Apple Music as well.