General Motors is taking a different approach to Apple CarPlay with the 2027 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. Instead of letting CarPlay take over the entire infotainment screen, GM has developed a new interface that combines CarPlay with the truck’s native controls and features.
Just a few years ago, General Motors appeared determined to move away from smartphone projection systems such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. That strategy is now looking very different.
With the introduction of the redesigned 2027 Chevrolet Silverado and 2027 GMC Sierra, GM has unveiled a completely new infotainment interface that not only retains Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but integrates them more deeply with the vehicle’s own software.
The change is significant for anyone who follows the future of CarPlay.
GM Changes Its Approach to Apple CarPlay
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto became popular largely because many factory infotainment systems were difficult to use compared with the smartphone apps drivers were already familiar with.
Navigation is a good example. Instead of paying for a separate navigation service or relying on a manufacturer's mapping system, drivers could simply connect their iPhone and use Apple Maps, Google Maps, Waze or another supported navigation app directly through the vehicle's screen.
However, automakers increasingly began looking at their infotainment systems as another source of software revenue. GM was one of the manufacturers that moved away from Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in some of its newer vehicles, particularly its EV lineup.
Now, GM is taking a different approach.
The company says the new interface for the 2027 Silverado and Sierra was designed to give drivers the simplicity of CarPlay and Android Auto while still providing quick access to truck-specific functions.
Apple CarPlay No Longer Has to Take Over the Screen
The biggest change is how Apple CarPlay is displayed.
Rather than completely replacing GM's native interface, CarPlay appears in a large card-style window alongside information and controls from the truck itself. This allows drivers to use their preferred iPhone apps while still having access to vehicle information such as trailering functions and other truck-specific features.
GM describes this as bringing together the best of both worlds: the familiar experience of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto combined with software designed specifically for the Silverado and Sierra.
The redesigned home screen also uses a split-view layout, allowing the navigation map to remain visible alongside information such as media controls, fuel-efficiency data or trailering information.
For CarPlay users, this means that connecting an iPhone no longer necessarily means giving up access to the vehicle's native interface.
Why This Makes Sense for a Pickup Truck
The approach is particularly useful in a pickup.
Apple CarPlay is excellent for navigation, music, calls, messages and other smartphone-based functions, but it doesn't know how to operate many of the features that make a Silverado or Sierra a truck.
Trailering, towing information, off-road functions and vehicle-specific controls all need to remain part of the manufacturer's own software.
GM's new interface is designed around exactly that problem. The driver can use CarPlay for navigation or entertainment while keeping truck-specific information readily available on the same display.
The digital instrument cluster can also change depending on what the driver is doing, with dedicated views for activities such as trailering, off-roading and Super Cruise.
More Than 60 Inches of Digital Displays
The new Silverado has also gone heavily digital.
Every 2027 Silverado 1500 gets a 16.3-inch center display and a 12.2-inch digital driver information display. Higher-end ZR2 and High Country models add an 11.5-inch passenger display, along with a head-up display and other digital features, giving those versions more than 60 inches of combined display space.
Despite all those screens, GM hasn't abandoned physical controls.
Frequently used functions such as climate controls and other vehicle functions remain accessible through physical buttons, while more advanced settings can be opened through the touchscreen.
That combination is becoming increasingly important as manufacturers add more and more digital functions to their vehicles.
CarPlay and the Native System Can Work Together
One of the most interesting aspects of GM's new interface is that Apple CarPlay doesn't have to exist separately from the vehicle's own software.
For example, while navigating with CarPlay, the driver can still have other vehicle information visible alongside it. GM also says that media controls can remain accessible without requiring the driver to leave the CarPlay experience.
Calls have also been designed to be less intrusive. Instead of taking over the entire display, an incoming call can fit into the existing interface, with a small call timer remaining visible while the driver continues using other functions.
The result is closer to a windowed CarPlay experience rather than the traditional full-screen implementation.
Could This Be the Future of CarPlay?
GM's new approach could be particularly interesting beyond the Silverado and Sierra.
One of the arguments sometimes made by automakers against Apple CarPlay is that smartphone projection can take over too much of the vehicle's infotainment experience.
A more integrated approach solves part of that problem.
The automaker can maintain its own interface for vehicle-specific functions while still giving drivers access to the apps and familiar interface they already use on their iPhone.
GM says the new interface is built on a software-defined architecture that will support ongoing over-the-air updates, meaning the system can continue to evolve after the vehicle leaves the factory.
For Apple CarPlay users, the most important takeaway is simple: GM isn't abandoning CarPlay with its new Silverado and Sierra. Instead, it is changing how CarPlay fits into the vehicle.
And that could prove to be an important direction for the future of in-car infotainment.
Share:
Another Big App on CarPlay: Claude Now Available for All Users