As Rivian embraces Google with Maps integration, it shuts out Apple CarPlay
Rivian said today that it is incorporating Google Maps natively into its infotainment system, meaning Google routing, time of arrival, traffic, and satellite imagery will be "seamlessly integrated" into Rivian's navigation system.
Using Google's Automotive SDK for Maps, Rivian can build its own custom navigation system on top of Google Maps. This will give drivers the freshest mapping and traffic data, along with updated ETA info and "arrival range" at destination, a critical piece of information for users, directly within Rivian navigation.
Charging information, such as where to stop, user preferences, and the location's overall score, will be included, as well as locations for the bespoke Rivian Charging Network.
The addition of Google Maps is welcome news for Rivian owners, with one owner saying the prior system "always" suggested longer routes compared to Google Maps, for example.
Rivian's embrace of Google Maps comes as other manufacturers like GM (GM) push ahead with deeper integration of Google products. GM's EVs, for example, no longer have Apple CarPlay compatibility, though its gas-powered vehicles do.
This has been a huge issue for customers who have come to live with CarPlay as the de facto standard for car connectivity. Apple says more than 800 vehicles globally support CarPlay; Apple has also said in the past that 79% of new car buyers insist that the vehicle is CarPlay compliant.
Read more: How to find the best luxury car insurance
A third-party McKinsey study found that the percentage is closer to roughly a third of buyers insisting on CarPlay, but nonetheless, consumers are making their preferences heard.
"Like most corporate decisions, this one is driven by revenue in the hyper-subscription world we now occupy," industry analyst Karl Brauer of ISeeCars.com told Yahoo Finance back when GM ditched CarPlay for its EVs.
By keeping Apple out, GM can charge users for services offered through its native UI systems, like the automaker's SuperCruise semiautonomous software. Tesla has been offering subscription services for years now, with "enhanced connectivity" for some features and subscription pricing for its full self-driving (FSD).
Read more: 6 steps to find cheap car insurance in 2025
GM would also prefer to keep all the data coming from its customers, which it can remarket in a number of ways (but not all), and not have to pay a license fee to Apple for CarPlay.
Rivian is likely making the same bet. And as a tech-forward company that makes its own software, Rivian does not want to cede its entire design language and user experience to Apple. However, Rivian does point out that it does include Apple Music, and in the future Apple EnergyKit integration will be coming for home smart charging - but no CarPlay.
Rivian owners have been clamoring for CarPlay in forums like Reddit, so a smaller move like Google Maps integration, following Rivian's prior Google inclusions of Search, Cast, and YouTube, for example, may give its owners some of the functionality they desire.
Tesla famously does not allow Apple CarPlay or Google's Android projection software in its infotainment system, and never has. Thus far, the lack of CarPlay hasn't hurt Tesla EV sales over the past few years, or at least that hasn't been a cited reason for declining sales in recent quarters.
Pras Subramanian is the lead auto reporter for Yahoo Finance. You can follow him on X and on Instagram.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Digital Trends
an hour ago
- Digital Trends
Foldable iPhone would intrigue despite Samsung's head start
The rumors around a foldable iPhone are ramping up, with more tipsters claiming to know what Apple is planning in this space. A lot of the analysis pegs the new iPhone Fold coming in 2026, meaning we've got just over a year to wait – but given we've had foldable phones from brands like Samsung, Oppo and Google for a few years now, why would 2026 be the year Apple goes flexible with its phones? Recommended Videos For me, it's all about the screen – and that's where history might be repeating itself. The key rumors so far While far from substantiated, here's what the current rumor mill is predicting for a potential folding Phone: Why does this matter? When considering why Apple hasn't entered the foldable market so far, it's important to consider its form here. It only introduced OLED display technology to its smartphones in 2017, with the iPhone X, despite them being reviewed as some of the best-looking screens for years. I remember reviewing one of the first handsets to use OLED screens: the Samsung Wave in 2010, a 'smartphone' that pre-dated the Galaxy S, Samsung's first Android phone. I was blown away by the color reproduction, the inky blacks, and the overall look and feel, and can still remember the excitement over watching content on that display. However, despite looking vivid, colorful and having amazing contrast ratios, OLED screens also had a few issues compared to LCD – namely, lower brightness, higher difficulty for manufacture (and therefore cost) and potentially screen 'burn in', where a static image can become permanently scarred onto the phone's screen. The DT Viewpoint: it's all coming together So it makes sense that Apple will have waited roughly the same amount of time if it does, indeed, launch a foldable phone next year, especially as component manufacturers will need time to tool things up to achieve the level of flexible glass and integrated touch sensors that Apple would want. Issues around the cost of manufacture mean that getting the level of sharpness needed would be too expensive, but as production processes have improved, it seems likely that the cost threshold for making a viable product is getting closer. There's been a lot of news recently about greater investment from foldable display component suppliers like Fine M-Tec improving their processes to allow for crease-free displays, which seems like another standard that Apple wouldn't be willing to compromise on. The resolution rumor of 428PPI for the inside screen is something that gives me pause – that's very high resolution for a foldable, with an iPad mini coming in at around 330PPI and even the latest Samsung Galaxy Fold 7 only offering ~370PPI. Apple isn't in the business of competing only on spec, so it's either waited this long so it can claim the sharpest foldable display around, or this is something that's a little wide of the mark. Another spec rumor that I'm waiting to evolve with some intrigue: the front screen of the device coming in at only 5.5-inches. That's iPhone 12 Mini level, and that's a screen size that Apple canned in favor of larger devices. While I still speak to many people who wish smartphones were a little smaller, it's an interesting idea that Apple would basically model the new iPhone Fold on a size format that didn't perform as well – surely this will end up being a little larger? Speaking of confusing rumors, I can't see that under-screen selfie camera coming true any time soon though – the latest Samsung Galaxy Fold 7 smartphone doesn't have one (despite its predecessor using the technology) as it seeks to offer the best quality. Apple hasn't caved to pressure to drop the Dynamic Island on its smartphones (which house the front-facing sensors and cameras). These could be placed under the screen and give it a clean-looking finish, but the result would be lower-quality than with the cut-out. So what's next? Well, if the iPhone Fold (or whatever it will be called) does emerge in 2026, then we'll start seeing production of the device ramp up in the early part of the year, meaning more leaks will potentially begin to emerge. There are still several things that haven't emerged yet – likely because, if this timeline is correct, there are still many decisions to be made – such as screen refresh rate or how the software would work. Would it be a hybrid, where the outer screen uses iOS 27 and the inner display working on iPad OS 27? The answers to these questions will be fascinating, as the foldable phone feels like one of the last smartphone design shifts left to happen, so eventually all brands will join the party – so what will Apple do to stand out?
Business Insider
an hour ago
- Business Insider
F1 to experience growing pains with Apple TV+, payoff long-term, Bloomberg says
While F1 has not yet announced if it has accepted the deal with Apple (AAPL), the partnership will come with a painful trade-off, requiring more casual fans to buy an Apple TV+ subscription will throw the cable-led growth into a sharp decline, Adam Minter of Bloomberg reports. The sacrifice, however, is poised to pay off in the long term, with Apple's upscale image to help differentiate F1 from other sports and Apple's technology a potential game changer for how fans experience motorsports. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. Make smarter investment decisions with TipRanks' Smart Investor Picks, delivered to your inbox every week.
The Verge
3 hours ago
- The Verge
The next iPad Pro might add a new camera.
Posted Jul 20, 2025 at 8:54 PM UTC The next iPad Pro might add a new camera. In Mark Gurman's Power On newsletter for Bloomberg , he notes that iOS 26's public beta is expected next week, and a possible tweak for upcoming M5-powered iPad Pros.. The M4 iPad Pro that launched last year switched the orientation of its front-facing camera for use in landscape mode since many people use it like that or in a laptop-like stand, but the new model could also include a portrait-oriented camera, so video calls look fine no matter which way you're holding it.
