Hyundai has made it known that Android Auto and Apple’s CarPlay will be very much central to how they imagine their cars’ dashboards in the near future, particularly starting in 2015. A new entertainment hub/display will be coming to the Korean car manufacturer’s vehicles that will be ditching the current standard CD player and onboard navigation. The music and map apps on the owner’s Android or Apple device will take over that function.
Hyundai is one of the first manufacturers to do this, recognizing the ubiquity of smartphones and tablets which makes the CD player on the cars dash not only redundant but mostly outdated. The functions are clearly duplicated in the more handy and versatile smartphones, and it clearly is a waste of space to continue putting expensive upgrades to cars that owners rarely would use.
Very specifically, Android Auto’s integration into Hyundai’s dashboard is what you would expect. You connect your device via USB cable and you get a streamlined dash screen that gives you access to Google Maps for navigation and some other apps for music – including Spotify, Kick, Songza, and Soundcloud.
How about if the owner doesn’t own a smartphone? Highly unlikely, but in that situation, Hyundai is still bundling in a native suite with a navigation system and its own music app. Bluetooth connection only? Same thing – Hyundai is still including its own Blue Link system for that. What do you think?
VIA: SlashGear
