After ceding ground in infotainment systems to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, manufacturers want to wrest back control and go back to the days of providing proprietary infotainment solutions, systems over which they will have complete control. Want a specific entertainment option for your commute? You won’t be going to the App Store. You’ll be contacting the maker of your vehicle who will then push a software update to your car. For an ongoing fee, of course.
The company is moving ahead even though every consumer survey I’ve seen says CarPlay is far more popular than Google’s Android Auto. The first vehicle to deny any phone integration will apparently be the 2024 Blazer EV. CarPlay and the current Android Auto offerings will still have limited Bluetooth connectivity, which means users will be limited to streaming music from their phones to the car. No more bespoke displays when you plug in your device.
Proponents of this change point to satellite radio. Over the last quarter-century, drivers have shown that they will pay for this kind of radio. And let’s not forget that SiriusXM pays manufacturers for its place in dashboards. If that’s the case, it’s not that much of a leap for automakers to move to a situation where they charge a subscription for other radio tuner software — say Radioplayer Canada or TuneIn — that offers access to terrestrial radio.
FYI. So the car makers can charge you for the monthly service !
People still listen to the radio? More commercials & talking than music. Haven't listened to the radio in years.