General Motors today announced that it has hired Mike Abbott to manage its software team, after spending five years at Apple as vice president of engineering for iCloud cloud services.
Abbott’s responsibilities at Apple included leading iCloud services and infrastructure, including iMessage and FaceTime, among others. In his new role at GM, Abbott will serve as executive vice president of software, reporting directly to Mary Barra, CEO of GM.
As part of the senior leadership team, Abbott will lead a new integrated end-to-end software organization focused on developing vehicle and enterprise software technologies and solutions, as well as digital services and capabilities for retail and commercial customers,” GM’s announcement said. The newly formed team will bring together three distinct software functions within the company, including software-defined vehicles and operating systems, information and digital technologies, and GM’s digital business.”
The news comes after GM officially abandoned Apple CarPlay in favor of Android Automative-based in-car software.
Scott Miller, GM’s vice president of software-defined vehicles and operating systems, said in an interview with The Verge that he believes Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are not the best infotainment experience, but rather a stopgap measure. He said consumer demand for both systems reflects a desire for a better infotainment experience, but that these projection systems are not the end of the line. He believes that consumers will abandon Android Auto and Apple CarPlay if they can deliver a better native experience.
A native experience is one in which the operating system is embedded directly into the car, without the need for a connected phone. GM plans to use a native Android-based operating system in its electric vehicles, known as Android Automotive, which is a different system than Android Auto. Android Auto is a projection system, while Android Automotive is a native operating system. According to Miller, the native operating system allows for “total integration” and provides more information and functionality about the EV itself, such as battery status, navigation routes and more. He also said the native operating system can better recognize the driver’s identity and preferences, allowing for seamless switching.
