"Add a wow factor without being gimmicky" - Stanley Fok discusses scaling GM infotainment systems

The first time Stanley Fok rented a Chevrolet Suburban for a ski trip, he never imagined it would one day run software built under his leadership. Years later, when the GM engineer saw that vehicle equipped with his team’s work, it reframed his career. He wasn’t just building features; he was shaping how people feel inside a vehicle. Fok, who is the engineering group manager for infotainment software at GM, discusses scaling the auto maker’s infotainment systems and how automation is shaping the future of vehicle software

Experience starts long before a driver ever presses start

When GM adopted Android as the foundation for its next-generation infotainment systems, Fok saw the future taking shape. The cabin was no longer static hardware, but a software platform built to evolve. Fok leads infotainment software at GM’s Canadian Technical Centre (CTC) in Markham, Ontario, where he manages Canadian engineers and collaborates with global teams that deliver scalable, high-quality software across GM’s full vehicle portfolio.

Fok’s background in mobile development, video algorithms and hardware design gives him a clear advantage – his cross-disciplinary career shapes how GM engineers infotainment systems that scale reliably for millions of drivers. Automation makes that possible, protecting quality and speed while freeing engineers to focus on the work that matters most.

But scale is only part of the story. The impact is personal.

Scaling impact

What drew you to the opportunity to lead infotainment at GM?

I’ve always been drawn to smart, useful features … things that make your life easier or add a wow factor without being gimmicky. That’s what drives me: building technology I’d want to use myself.

What stood out when you saw GM building its infotainment platform on Android?

At the time, vehicle infotainment was still evolving. People mostly thought of it as just a radio or navigation system. But I saw an opportunity to bring a richer, more modern user experience into vehicles — one that aligned with what people had come to expect from their smartphones.

How has your background in video and mobile engineering influenced the way GM approaches infotainment today?

My earlier work involved optimizing video and image processing algorithms – things that required precision, efficiency and constant iteration. That mindset translates well to automotive software.

We’re always looking for ways to streamline development, improve quality and shorten the time it takes to deliver a polished experience. Our current infotainment systems are built to support a wide range of features across many vehicles, so the ability to scale and adapt quickly is essential.

What does it take to make infotainment software work seamlessly across GM’s global vehicle portfolio?

The software has to work across a wide range of vehicle models, hardware variants and market requirements. We can’t rely on manual testing alone due to the sheer size of volume. That would be impossible. So we’ve leaned into automation. This way we can help ensure consistent performance and reliability across such a broad portfolio. From my experience, human and machine collaboration frees up more time for meaningful strategic work.

How will the future of infotainment at GM shape the driver experience?

We are constantly evolving our technologies, expanding our connected services and personalized features. We aim to anticipate what the driver needs and deliver these features in a seamless way that’s not distracting, making the vehicle better over time.

The key difference between mobile and automotive is that vehicles are safety-critical environments. So the goal is to innovate boldly with safety built-in from the start.

That’s what makes this space both demanding and exciting, but extremely rewarding.

This article was originally published by GM News.