CarPlay (Apple CarPlay)

Brand Names

Apple's smartphone-projection system, supported on GM HMI 2.5+ and most CSM-based vehicles. Older HMI 2.0 vehicles can be retrofitted.

Apple CarPlay is Apple’s smartphone-projection platform that lets a compatible iPhone use the vehicle’s infotainment display, microphone, and speakers for navigation, music, calls, messages, and Siri.

CarPlay support across GM infotainment generations:

  • HMI 1.1 / 2.0 (2013–2015) — No native CarPlay support. Can be retrofitted via a WAMS upgrade kit that swaps the HMI 2.0 and matching radio for HMI 2.5 hardware plus a high-speed USB hub.
  • HMI 2.5 (2016–2019) — Wired CarPlay and Android Auto supported natively. No wireless support.
  • CSM (2017.5+) — Wired CarPlay supported natively. Later CSM versions add wireless CarPlay on selected platforms.
  • CSM with Google Built-in / IOK (newer) — Wired and wireless CarPlay supported.

WAMS offers wireless CarPlay/Android Auto upgrade kits for many CSM-based vehicles that originally shipped with wired-only CarPlay, including Cadillac CT4, CT5, XT5, XT6, Blazer, Camaro, and Corvette C7.

Aftermarket “dongle” wireless adapters are generally not recommended — WAMS has seen them cause HMI damage and infotainment instability. The OEM-grade retrofit kits use genuine GM hardware programmed to the vehicle’s VIN.

Vehicle Applicability

2016+ GM vehicles with HMI 2.5 or any CSM ship with native wired CarPlay. 2013–2015 HMI 2.0 vehicles can be retrofit. Wireless CarPlay availability varies by platform — see the WAMS Infotainment Upgrade Guide.

Also known as: Apple CarPlay, CarPlay

Related Terms

  • Android Auto — Google's smartphone-projection system for compatible Android phones. Supported on GM HMI 2.5+ and CSM-based vehicles; older HMI 2.0 vehicles can be retrofitted.
  • HMI — The primary infotainment computer in most 2013–2020 GM vehicles with MyLink, IntelliLink, or first-generation CUE.
  • CSM — GM's unified next-generation infotainment computer that replaced the HMI starting on select GM platforms in mid-2017.5.
  • IO5 — The GM RPO code for the non-navigation HMI 2.0/2.5 infotainment configuration found on most 2014–2019 GM vehicles.
  • IO6 — The GM RPO code for the HMI infotainment configuration with embedded factory navigation, found on premium-trim 2014–2019 GM vehicles.
  • MyLink — Chevrolet's branded infotainment interface, used on HMI-based vehicles from 2013 onward.
  • IntelliLink — GMC's and Buick's branded infotainment interface, used on HMI-based vehicles from 2013 onward.
  • CUE — Cadillac's branded infotainment interface. First-generation CUE (2013–2016) used HMI hardware; later CUE branding sits on CSM hardware.
  • Plug and Play — A WAMS replacement module that ships pre-programmed to the customer's VIN, requiring no dealer trip and no scan tool to install.

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