Android Auto and Apple CarPlay spent almost a decade as an unofficial standard for car buyers: plug in a smartphone and the car screen instantly gets familiar maps, music, calls and messages. It was convenient for automakers too, because Google and Apple handled much of the hard work around interfaces and apps. But the balance is shifting: General Motors has already decided to remove Android Auto from its electric vehicles, and later plans to expand that approach across its lineup, replacing phone mirroring with its own conversational system powered by Google’s Gemini AI.
The reason is not just a desire to take back control of the screen in the cabin. Android Auto began as simple smartphone projection, but Google later pushed Android Automotive OS, a full car operating system that runs without a phone and is already used by several brands. Google also receives plenty of data about trips, routes and driver behavior, which can be valuable for advertising and service development. Automakers say they see little of that data, even though it could help improve navigation, EV charging and customer retention. GM stresses that electric cars need data on range, energy use, routes and charging stations, plus deeper integration with the Super Cruise assistant.
GM argues that a built-in system can offer more than ordinary phone screen projection. The company promises smoother performance through the car’s own hardware, support for calls and apps, access to Siri and Google Assistant, and features it says are not possible in Android Auto and CarPlay, such as Dolby Atmos in Amazon Music. Rivian and Tesla never supported Android Auto in the first place, citing a desire to control the whole user experience. Rivian also believes that as AI develops, the debate over smartphone mirroring will matter less, because the car’s own system can become far more deeply integrated.
For drivers, there is a less pleasant side to this shift. Proprietary infotainment platforms open new subscription opportunities for automakers. GM has already talked about that potential, and the industry still remembers how BMW tried to charge $80 a year for CarPlay and later experimented with paid activation for heated seats. Rivian charges $150 a year for Connect+, and Tesla also prices premium cellular features at $150 a year. Even brands that keep Android Auto increasingly hide certain functions behind trials and paid services. GM also previously agreed to pay $12.75 million in a California privacy case, showing just how sensitive vehicle data has become.
The biggest obstacle to dropping Android Auto may be buyers themselves. Many drivers openly say they do not want a car without familiar smartphone integration, while subscription fatigue only makes the irritation worse. For now, Android Auto and CarPlay remain in most 2026 model-year cars, and traditional automakers have repeatedly shown that building pleasant infotainment systems can be harder for them than building cars. Still, the direction is clear: some brands want control over the screen, data and services again, even if buyers are not thrilled about it.