Cadillac won't ditch Apple CarPlay, Android Auto in Australia
Parent company General Motors sparked the ire of many consumers when it announced it wouldn't offer its latest generation of electric vehicles (EVs) with smartphone mirroring apps Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
It pivoted away from these features despite their growing popularity and ubiquity in the new-car market – a 2024 McKinsey survey, for example, showed 30 per cent of global EV buyers consider the absence of these features a deal-breaker.
However, this decision doesn't affect Australian buyers, who'll still have access to these while also gaining a suite of connected services.
'All Cadillac Lyriq, Lyriq-V, Vistiq and Optiq vehicles coming to Australia and New Zealand will offer Cadillac Connected Services as well as wireless smartphone projection, which is currently available in Lyriq models (i.e. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto),' said a GM spokesperson.
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Cadillac announced last month it was rolling out Cadillac Connected Services in Australia, starting with what's currently its only model – the large Lyriq electric SUV – late in 2025. Buyers will get eight years of complimentary access.
Customers who take delivery of a Lyriq prior to the launch of Cadillac Connected Services will be able to get them courtesy of a complimentary upgrade at a Cadillac Service location.
This suite of technology includes mobile app connectivity, over-the-air update capability, and what the brand refers to as Connected Infotainment – essentially Cadillac-speak for the presence of Google built-in, featuring embedded Google apps such as Google Maps and Google Assistant, with more available to download via the Google Play Store.
This also features smart routing. Google Maps will tell you what your battery percentage will be at the end of your journey, and suggest charging stops if necessary along your route.
The Cadillac smartphone app will allow you to remotely check the vehicle's status including its location and charge level, and control the locks, alarm, lights, windows and air-conditioning.
This kind of app-based connectivity has become extremely common in recent years in Australia after previously being the exclusive domain of brands like Tesla.
In many cases, brands have finally rolled it out in Australia after having had it in markets like the US for several years already – Hyundai and Toyota being examples of this.
One key piece of technology GM offers in North America but hasn't announced plans to roll out here is Super Cruise. This allows hands-free driving across over a million kilometres of roads on the continent.
GM has said Australian legislation doesn't support the feature's use locally, and the cost to map a country is in the millions of dollars.
Cadillac commenced local deliveries of the Lyriq earlier this year, and next year it'll be joined by the smaller Optiq and larger, three-row Vistiq crossover SUVs, plus a hot version called the Lyriq-V.
It's continuing with its plans to be an electric-only brand in Australia, and has previously spoken of selling models in 'exclusive volumes'. It has just one Australian retail location for now, in Sydney, with another to open in Brisbane this year.
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