This Apple CarPlay aftermarket kit can fix GM’s mistake

General Motors made a controversial decision stop offering Android Auto and Apple CarPlay in their electric vehicles, and the aftermarket is stepping in to fill the void. White Automotive & Media Services has announced a kit that adds Android Auto and Apple CarPlay to several Ultium-based models.

The kit is compatible with five cars: Chevrolet Blazer E.V, Equinox EVand Silverado E.V (LT and RST configurations only), GMC Sierra EVand 2025 Cadillac Lyriq. There are no mentions Hummer EV or other Ultium-based Cadillacs. According to Power of the GMthis upgrade kit gives these electric vehicles wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto without removing factory features like EV route guidance.

White Automotive explains that it has gone to great lengths to integrate popular smartphone software into its existing infotainment system. Whether the phone in your pocket runs Apple or Android, the upgrade kit displays various functions on the infotainment touchscreen, digital dashboard and even the projection display. Siri and Google Assistant are also included; it is as if the factory offered.

No pricing information has been released, and White Automotive cautions buyers that they will need to factor in the cost of a professional installation. This is not a plug and play program that you can install at home. There’s another catch: As of this writing, the only shop authorized to install the kit is a dealership called LaFontaine Chevrolet located in Plymouth, Michigan. The list of certified installers is expected to grow in the coming months.

General Motors has not commented on the White Automotive kit. The rationale of the automaker no longer offering Android Auto and Apple CarPlay in its electric cars, was that it didn’t want to design its future driver assistance features “in a way that (depends) on the person with the cell phone.”

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