Some new BMWs will reportedly come without Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images

According to a report from automotive news Europe, BMW is temporarily shipping some new vehicles without support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto after changing chip suppliers. The new supplier's chips aren't compatible with the new software yet, and need an update to work.

In order to be fully functional, the chips built into these cars in the first four months of this year need to be updated. BMW didn't reply immediately to the request for comment.

It is possible that drivers won't have to wait too long to get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support. By the end of June, the car manufacturer plans to roll out an over-the-air update that will allow users to add features.

BMW didn't specify which car models are affected or how many, but said that vehicles with the production code 6P1 won't come with Apple CarPlay. It's not clear if the issue affects only certain regions, or if drivers from the US, UK, Italy, Spain, and France have reported receiving their new vehicles without either function.

This isn't the first sacrifice BMW has made. BMW gave affected drivers a $500 credit after it confirmed that it stopped shipping some of its new vehicles without touchscreens and backup assistant features.

General GM was heavily impacted by the shortage. GM dropped wireless charging from a range of vehicles, axed a fuel management module from some of its trucks, and cut the Super Cruise feature from the Cadillac Escalade. Explorer SUVs were temporarily shipped and sold without rear heating and air conditioning controls.

Pat Gelsinger, CEO of Intel, predicts that the chip shortage may last into 2024.