GM and Apple

[Hulkamaniac]

I don't understand GM's love affair with Apple and adding Siri to new vehicles.

IMO Android is a better and outsells iPhones nearly 2 to 1.

They say they're adding all this crap because customers want to be more connected.

Well, Mr & Mrs John Q Public if you want to be more connected, put down the phone, double mocha latte, newspaper, or whatever the heck else you're doing and get connected to your car by grabbing the steering wheel for a change.

It's a proven fact, it doesn't matter whether drivers use hands free devices or hands on devices, they're just as distracted either way.

To answer your question... Yes, I did wake up on the wrong side of the coffin this morning.

[Buzzardz_vette]

Hey, I use Android for my phone and Apple for my iPad. Guess I swing both ways....

[vettefan]

Android devices have definitely made big strides in recent years to close the gap on Apple, but the huge head start for iOS gives them a very large customer base. Also, Apple users spend a ton more money on Apps than Android device users and GM (and other car makers) see a larger potential revenue stream from that customer base. GM is just following what they see right now as the best potential for future cash flows.

[Ciscokid]

If you're going to talk distractions in a car then folks shouldn't even have music in them, be able to eat, smoke, read a book, put make-up, brush their hair or the multiple other distraction folks do in their cars now a days. Talking on the phone or using the phone is just as bad as eating and drinking in your car while you are driving but nobody says you can't eat or drink in your car. Granted the phone is worse but if we are talking about pure distractions while your driving there is a laundry list of other things that folks shouldn't do and the best part is now they want to do them all at the same time.

[WesC5]

Gotta love all those lawyers (and Gov't agencies) trying to justify their importance/existence.

They can mandate safety all friggin day long.....it isn't going to affect the ones who think they are too smart and it won't happen to them. That said, if it saves one life, it's worth it.

As "The Duke" Wayne put it: Life is tough; but it's tougher if your stupid!

[Hulkamaniac]

Originally Posted by Ciscokid

If you're going to talk distractions in a car then folks shouldn't even have music in them, be able to eat, smoke, read a book, put make-up, brush their hair or the multiple other distraction folks do in their cars now a days. Talking on the phone or using the phone is just as bad as eating and drinking in your car while you are driving but nobody says you can't eat or drink in your car. Granted the phone is worse but if we are talking about pure distractions while your driving there is a laundry list of other things that folks shouldn't do and the best part is now they want to do them all at the same time.

That's why I also said whatever else you're doing. Got ALL of it covered.

[Ciscokid]

Originally Posted by Z51Stingray

That's why I also said whatever else you're doing. Got ALL of it covered.

Agreed, just makes me laugh to see all the laws getting passed for using a cell phone in your car but people have been driving with distractions for a long time and no laws got passed from all the shaving accidents.

[jefftriman]

The sound of the engine is all I need

[CruznCorvette]

GM has been working with Apple for several years .....

Telematics Detroit 2014
June 4-5 / The Suburban Collection Showplace, Novi, MI, USA

Apple Turns to Automotive

This exclusive article has been released in the build-up to Telematics Detroit 2014, the world’s largest forum for the connected car, where the telematics industry will gather to discuss the connected car’s current challenges and impact on the future of auto-mobility.

Understanding the impact of the latest Apple CarPlay announcement on the different areas of the telematics value chain will be discussed further at Telematics Detroit 2014

Thought I'd share the "White Paper" .....

Apple CarPlay: The industry verdict
What would happen if Apple decided to turn its full attention to automotive?
For the past several years, this question has been haunting the connected car industry as it struggled to match the consumers electronics giant, and others like it, on pace of innovation and intuitive user experience design.
With the launch of CarPlay last month, the industry can stop wondering. Apple CarPlay is set to allow users to make calls, use maps, listen to music and access messages from the dash of compatible cars, with or without the assistance of Siri, which will be a press of a button on the steering wheel away.
Apple described the system as a “smarter, safer and more fun way” of using an iPhone in the car.
Three auto manufacturers – Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo – are set to have CarPlay in vehicles by the end of 2014. And other OEMs, including BMW, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar Land Rover, Kia, Nissan, Subaru, Suzuki and Toyota are set to follow.
To gauge industry sentiment on Apple’s CarPlay, we asked six experts from across the connected car value chain the following question:

“What are your thoughts on Apple’s announcement of CarPlay? Is this a game-changing moment in the evolution of the connected car?”

Here is what they had to say:

Phil Abram, chief infotainment officer, General Motors
“At GM, we understand that customers want their vehicles to be part of their digital lives. That means that the car integrates with their smartphones and that the car is a member of the broader connected ecosystem. We have worked with Apple over several years to better integrate the iPhone with the in-vehicle experience. GM was the first to introduce Siri Eyes Free mode in a vehicle. CarPlay is an extension and natural evolution in bringing the mobile world and the really mobile world (vehicles) closer together. That is why we are also participating as a founding member of Google’s Open Automotive Alliance and the Car Connectivity Consortium (MirrorLink).”

Martin Rosell, managing director, WirelessCar
“We believe Apple's CarPlay is an excellent complement to traditional safety, security and convenience embedded telematics services, but it’s not a replacement or a game changer. The major problem for the OEMs remains having to support multiple environments and integration points, with increased maintenance cost and complexity to maintain an OEM-branded solution with all responsibilities, like driver distraction, safely covered.”

Derek Kuhn, vice president of sales and marketing, QNX Software Systems
“The role of [the] mobile device in car has changed, and the brought-in device experience as a whole is an important aspect of the connected car. From MirrorLink and Miracast to now Apple CarPlay, many consumers are now able to mirror and access auto-relevant smartphone interfaces and applications via a vehicle’s infotainment system. This represents many new opportunities for technology providers like QNX Software Systems, automotive OEMs, developers and consumers alike.”

Roger Lanctot, associate director, automotive multimedia & communications service, Strategy Analytics
“CarPlay is a clever little app from Apple that expands the Apple-oriented experience in cars for Apple fanboys and fangirls. Ironically, the fact that it creates an identical experience from OEM to OEM actually makes it a bit less attractive as it removes differentiation and leaves HMI decisions in Apple’s hands. From that standpoint, it is game changing along the same lines as MirrorLink or whatever Google’s automotive link ultimately looks like. Unlike MirrorLink, there is no governing coalition – just Apple. Google is at least trying to build a coalition with the Open Automotive Alliance – but this is similarly doomed to failure and marginalization. Removing differentiation diminishes the connection between the OEM and the customer, and raises liability questions. Google and Apple are not likely to ever indemnify automakers regarding their UI. For these and other reasons, I feel it is a temporary diversion while car makers work out their own handset-agnostic solutions.”
Johann Jungwirth, president & CEO, Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America
“As Mercedes-Benz, we set this trend of smartphone-based infotainment solutions already in 2012 with our Digital DriveStyle app and Drive Kit Plus. We are delighted to be the first German premium automotive OEM which worked very closely with Apple to integrate CarPlay into our vehicles. It is a game changer for the connected car, and [it] gives our customers and iPhone users an incredibly intuitive way to make calls, use maps, listen to music and access messages with just a word or a touch.”

Andrew Hart, head of advanced research, SBD
“Twenty one OEMs have now launched their own smartphone integration solutions, and our independent testing shows that most of these continue to be plagued with usability, compatibility and functionality issues. The automotive industry clearly still has a long way to go before it can claim to be meeting consumer demands in this area. CarPlay solves some of these problems in the classical ‘Apple way’ – simplifying the user experience by tightly controlling the ecosystem and functionality. However, in doing so, Apple has left OEMs facing new challenges and uncertainties. The most widely discussed of these is the loss of control, with Apple able to remotely change the functionality and interface of CarPlay with little or no input from OEMs. However, an equally important issue is the fragmented user experience that will emerge from integrating multiple connectivity solutions into a single head unit (CarPlay, MirrorLink, Google, OEM-specific, etc.). Is it possible to create a truly great and singular user experience in the car if we fill head units with multiple closed silos of apps? Do we risk further confusing drivers by giving them too many choices? Few OEMs will be able to resist the pressure to adopt CarPlay – the challenge will be to implement it in a way that complements, rather than damages, the overall ownership experience.”