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General Motors is serious about not ceding control of the dashboard to Apple or anyone else. On Tuesday, the Detroit automaker announced it had hired former Apple executive Mike Abbott to be its new Executive VP of Software, effective May 22. Abbott will report to GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra.

General Motors is serious about not ceding control of the dashboard to Apple or anyone else.

On Tuesday, the Detroit automaker announced it had hired former Apple executive Mike Abbott to be its new Executive VP of Software effective May 22. Abbott will report to GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra.

Mikes experience as a founder and entrepreneur coupled with his proven track record creating and delivering some of the markets most compelling software-defined solutions for consumers and companies make him an excellent fit at GM, Barra said.

At Apple, Abbott was VP of the Cloud Services division and led a team responsible for the development of infrastructure for all of Apples cloud-based services, including iCloud, iMessage, Private Relay, Mail and account security.

GMs effort to move away from Apple and Android began in March, when it told business website Ars Technica it would no longer support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in new EVs.

The manufacturer of Chevrolet, Buick and Cadillac said vehicles already on the market, as well as gasoline- and diesel-powered GM vehicles to be released over the next few years, will not be affected.

Abbott will lead a new integrated end-to-end software organization focused on the... delivery of digital services and features to retail and commercial customers, GM said in a written statement.

Abbotts newly created team will bring together three distinct software functions within GM: Software Defined Vehicle and Operating System; Information and Digital Technology; and Digital Business.

GM is moving away from phone projection to offer customers a more integrated solution that will have Google Maps, Google Assistant, Audible, Spotify and other applications run natively on its vehicles infotainment systems.

According to Automotive News, 98% of new vehicles now come with CarPlay and 79% of buyers only consider CarPlay-capable vehicles when shopping for new cars.

Ars Technica reported the first new GM electric vehicle to launch without phone projection will be the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV, which is expected to hit showrooms later this year, and the Chevrolet Equinox EV.

Abbott also served as a Visiting Scholar at Stanfords Artificial Intelligence Lab (SAIL), focused on computer vision. Previously, he served as general partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, focused on investments in mobile and cloud-computing sectors. Abbott has also led teams at Twitter, Palm and Microsoft.

Link:
Former Apple Executive Named GM's Head of Software. - Inside Radio