It is crap WITH a subscription. My built-in Google crap hangs up every couple days and doesn’t know where I am. I use Waze via CarPlay but I can tell the Google system is jacked up, for example when it displays 70mph on the HUD and I’m in my neighborhood.
Total garbage that they did this AND shrank the screen when using CarPlay but NOT when using the built-in Google Maps. 🤬🤬

Just did a drive, and was able to use Google Built-In navigation without ever connecting to a hotspot. I even had it direct me to a location that I had never searched or been directed to. So it must have more than just the roads stored in the offline data. I had to dismiss the "shop plans" notification once at the beginning of me loading the Maps app.

Also, the app said it was operating offline.

There was no Android Auto Connection at this time either. (I use a VPN at times and Android Auto will not function while the VPN is active).

I have the front lift on my 2024 , it works fine without subscription. But , google maps loses some functions without the subscription. If the car has gps capability in it, why is Chevrolet insisting they reach into my pocket and force me into buying there onstar plan, which I refuse to do. Do you think it's just to rip off customers who already spent a boatload of money to buy the frick'in car?????????? The car is incredible, but Chevrolet is just showing its corporate greed. I submitted a complaint to corporate regarding this , but have not heard back yet.

Of course the car has GPS. The subscription gets you the ability to download the map data as needed.

As said, you need either a data plan (from OnStar) or find another way to download the map data. It is no different from Nav apps on your phone. Most of the phone based Nav apps are free. And generally the maps themselves are free. But you do require a data plan on you phone in order to download the maps. It just seem like its free on the phone because you already have a data plan from your carrier. Previous model years had a SD card with a map of the entire US on it. That was not free. If you want to update it, you have to pay 100 bucks or so a year to get the latest (and already out of date) maps. I think someone gave a link above on the other ways to get the map data in to the 2024 - basically it either put your phone in hotspot mode and then connect it to the car as an external network - and the other, apparently as reported by some - you can download map data while connected to the WiFi in your garage. That second way will have limitations. The map size is limited (but some said it was large). And there are statements on the Google site that say that without a continuous data connection, the downloaded map data will be deleted. So, it would not be good for a cross country trip.

It could be your cellular service provider, not necessarily Google, but the result is the same. If you rely on a cellular connection for real time stuff like navigation, there will be a time and a place where it won't work, which is why I am happy that I got one of the last 2023s with built-in navigation.

I also prefer the way the screen looks on the built-in nav compared to Android Auto/CarPlay, but I also uses Waze on occasion. Living in a beach/vacation town has its challenges traffic-wise during spring break and the summer. I usually combine the two, a quick check on Waze before leaving to find the best way to a place, and the built-in nav when I am in the car if I need a quick detour. I am not a big fan of the additional distraction that Waze encourages.

Wait, so they SHRUNK the screen when using carplay? Can you post a pic of what this looks like?

You lose 1" to the soft buttons on the left and the info ribbon on the top. It's still 7" diagonal, which is better than most double din aftermarket units and is as good as the 8.4" in my 21 Grand Cherokee that does similar soft buttons and info ribbon above & below.

I'm surprised they don't have a full screen mode. I use a CarPlay AI box which allows the soft buttons to be hidden until you touch the screen.

I actually asked that on the Corvette Today podcast when they had Tadge, Harlan Charles and Josh Holder on (Corvette engineers), and the answer was while it's certainly possible, GM didn't control the software but only puts in requests to Google of what they want. Maybe enough people complaining will get them to issue an update. We know it can do it, it just needs a tweak to the software. And there's a physical home button anyway, so you can always get back to the main screen.

It's 100% money, and a lot of it. GM saves on the software / systems side now offloaded to Google, along with who knows what level of kickbacks from Google for being tied into such a partnership.. More people are borderline tricked into Onstar thinking it's now mandatory. GM still gets all the data they want.

It's a win-win-win for GM that most people won't bitch too much about as long as CP/AA are available as a workaround. The real battle won't be clear until the cars that don't have that option available, and then further down the road when we see what happens at whatever google considers end of life. Because as an added bonus, Google is pretty terrible for long term software support.

And as everything requires you sign into Google… and accept Google terms and conditions… Google now has access to where you go, when you go, what music you listen to, who calls you, texts you etc etc.

As I have said. I have the worlds most expensive am/fm radio in my car because that’s all the entire “infotainment” sweet is good for.