Last updated on Sep 19, 2026 at 10:01 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Ben Thompson
Automakers look to be quietly getting rid of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and are trying to take advantage of a $625 billion opportunity.
Apple CarPlay, as well as Android Auto, seem to have become elephants in the room when it comes to modern cars.
Most, if not all, automakers appeared to have gravitated towards using the Apple and Android systems in their new vehicles.
But now, it looks like money is talking, hence the decision by many of them to move away from the systems.
Why automakers want to get rid of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Manufacturers once relied on their own systems for the infotainment software in vehicles.
However, Apple and Google saw an opportunity and came up with CarPlay and Android Auto.
Yet it now appears that major manufacturers who used to support these systems are moving away again.
System integration, control over data, and revenue are the three main reasons for this change.
While integrating CarPlay into vehicles is quite easy, Apple likes to have a lot of control over its software.
So if your car has CarPlay, your experience will effectively be 100 percent Apple.
Android Auto is more open and has allowed some manufacturers to add their own twist to it.
But there is still an element of control, and that isn’t something automakers want to deal with.
The multi-billion dollar opportunity
Automakers also want to run their own ads in the systems.
Being tied to Google and Apple restricts the ads that they can run.
The Ptolemus Consulting Group has estimated that location-based advertising can be worth over $600 billion, and up to $625 billion.
So it is little wonder that automakers want to tap into that part of the market.
Automakers would have full control over what is shown on these systems if they move away from Apple and Android software.
They would also have full control over the revenue that these systems can create.
And the revenue will not have to be split between the automaker and Apple or Google.
The tech giants would no doubt want a share of the pie when it comes to the revenue that ads in the software can generate.
The abandonment of Apple and Google has happened quickly
It is more than a decade since Apple and Google’s systems first made their debut.
However, in the last year, manufacturers have begun jumping ship one after another.
One of the advantages of the systems was that they offered familiar interfaces for drivers and passengers.
If they had an Android phone, the screen they had in the car was incredibly familiar and easy to get around.
Yet giants like General Motors have been abandoning the systems.
Lest we forget, that also includes companies like Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, and GMC.
They have instead focused on their own infotainment system and software.
Tesla and Rivian are two that never even considered Apple and Google; they stuck with their own systems from the outset.
So it seems that the age of Apple and Google in our cars could be coming to an end.
Apple CarPlay timeline
June 2013: Apple introduces its automotive vision at WWDC under the name “iOS in the Car”
March 2014: The system is rebranded to CarPlay and officially launched at the Geneva Motor Show
September 2014: The Ferrari FF hits the market as the first production vehicle to feature the software
2015–2016: Major automakers like GM, Honda, and VW begin rolling out support across standard models
February 2017: The first wireless connection option makes its debut in the BMW 5 Series
January 2018: Toyota finally ends its holdout and adds the tech to its 2019 Avalon lineup
2020: A major dashboard update brings a split-screen view and expanded third-party navigation
June 2022: A next-generation, multi-screen digital cluster interface is previewed at WWDC
May 2025: The “Ultra” tier debuts alongside deep digital dashboard integration for Aston Martin
August 2026: The iOS 27 update introduces AI voice upgrades and parked video playback
# Tags –
Android Auto, Apple, Apple CarPlay, Cars, Google
# Tags – Android Auto, Apple, Apple CarPlay, Cars, Google
Henry Kelsall
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