For some frustrated owners of GM‘s new electric cars, White Automotive seemed like a lifesaver. After GM decided to drop Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support in its Ultium-platform EVs, and soon its entire lineup, White stepped up with an aftermarket setup that dealers could install to restore both phone-mirroring systems to those models for new buyers. But that effort has already met its predictable end, as GM recently pushed the only Chevy dealer in the country that was installing them to stop—thereby also forcing White Automotive to discontinue the kit.
A source within GM confirmed to The Drive that the automaker had investigated how the integration was being done and found that it could have adverse impacts on “critical” vehicle functions and stop working altogether with future software updates. Meanwhile, the dealer in question—LaFontaine Chevrolet in Plymouth, Michigan—told us that GM instructed them to stop offering and installing White’s kit. And without that distribution channel, or any chance of getting another dealer on board, White Automotive—who declined to comment directly for this story—had to shut down the project.
Let’s back up a few months. White Automotive & Media Services announced its CarPlay retrofit back just this past November, designed to work with the Chevrolet Blazer EV, Equinox EV, Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV, and Cadillac Lyriq. The kit supported both wired and wireless projection for Apple and Google’s smartphones and integrated them across the cars’ infotainment screens, digital gauge clusters, and heads-up displays. It was a comprehensive implementation; drivers could even summon Siri or Google Assistant just as they would if those features were integrated from the factory. There was only one issue: The installation was complex enough that it required a dealership’s service department to do it. But by the time White began taking orders, only one dealer was authorized to do so—LaFontaine Chevrolet.
Now let’s fast-forward to this week, when GM Authority broke the news that White had suddenly nixed the product without much explanation. If you check the listing on the company’s page now, its title merely reads, “This product has been discontinued,” and the associated image is blank. Below, a statement addressed to “valued customers,” reads:
“We have made the difficult decision to discontinue this product. Rather than removing it from our website entirely, we wanted to leave this notice so customers are aware of its discontinuation. This was not a decision we made lightly, but due to a variety of factors, continuing to offer this product is no longer viable in the long term.”
When asked why the CarPlay kit was discontinued, a White Automotive representative told The Drive via Facebook Messenger, “I can’t provide any information beyond what is available in our provided resources.” Sure, but what about customers who already have the kit—how would they get their system serviced if there’s an issue? We asked, and the response was almost instantaneous: “I’m sorry, but I can’t provide information on the Ultium CarPlay system or its servicing. For specific inquiries like this, I recommend reaching out to the dealer directly.”
So we did.
White Automotive originally mandated that the kit be installed by a dealership, since it was supposedly too complicated for the average DIYer and might require aftercare. We called the lone service department willing to take on such work at LaFontaine Chevrolet. An employee there told The Drive that GM directly instructed the dealer to stop installing White’s kits on vehicles. Again, we wanted to know how this would play out for existing owners, so we were forwarded to another employee who could supposedly tell us more—but then they hung up on us.
With the dealer pointing the finger at GM, we asked the automaker about its involvement. A spokesperson answered with the following statement: “Aftermarket services that introduce features not originally designed, thoroughly tested, and approved by GM may cause unintended issues for customers. These issues could affect critical safety features and may also void portions of the vehicle’s warranty.”
It’s hard to imagine how White Automotive or LaFontaine Chevrolet thought these CarPlay retrofit installs were going to continue without a hitch. The kit modified proprietary GM software without the manufacturer’s permission, breaching a line in the sand that it’d publicly drawn. While dealerships aren’t necessarily required to only use OEM parts—they can throw aftermarket wheels or tires on a car, for example—changing the fundamental functionality of a vehicle using unauthorized third-party hardware is never going to fly with the manufacturer, especially when tapping into sensitive elements like the instrument cluster. At that point, mods like these arguably do carry a safety concern, to GM’s point. The fact the company squashed this in short order is hardly surprising.
We don’t know how many people, presumably localized to Metro Detroit, chose to take White Automotive up on its CarPlay hack. But if it still happens to work in their EVs now, it likely won’t for much longer, as future GM software updates stand to break its functionality. At that point, LaFontaine wouldn’t be able to continue support after the fact on installed vehicles, anyway. The customers are seemingly out whatever they paid for the privilege of CarPlay and Android Auto on their screens, for a few fleeting months. If you were one such customer, feel free to chime in in the comments below, or drop us a line at tips@thedrive.com.