AppleInsider Staff
Despite being among the first automakers to sign on with Apple's CarPlay initiative, Japanese marque Toyota is reportedly planning to stick with its own in-house infotainment system for the foreseeable future.
"We may all eventually wind up [with CarPlay or Android Auto], but right now we prefer to use our in-house proprietary platforms for those kinds of functions," Toyota spokesperson John Hanson told the New York Times. Hanson limited his comments to the U.S. market, and while Apple's iPhone remains wildly popular in Toyota's home country of Japan, it does not seem likely that the stance will change across the Pacific.
Ford, another early CarPlay partner, has chosen the opposite approach and will add support for both CarPlay and Android Auto. The carmaker aims to make the updated infotainment options available in every Ford sold in the U.S. by the end of next year.
"We don't want people to have to make a vehicle choice based on which mobile phone they have," Ford executive Don Butler told the paper. "We want to accommodate all customers and their devices."
Volkswagen — the largest automotive company in the world — is taking the same road, announcing at this year's Consumer Electronics Show that CarPlay will join Android Auto and MirrorLink on its vehicles in late 2015.
CarPlay has seen slower-than-expected adoption since its announcement early last year, but has begun to pick up steam of late. Apple will introduce support for wireless CarPlay in iOS 8.3, and General Motors is set to integrate CarPlay in its next-generation Volt hybrid.
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133 Comments
Let them underserve their customers. I'm not planning to be one of theirs anytime soon.
Guess I'm not getting a 4Runner then lol
Toyota is not known for caring about car sound/navigation at all. Even in the Lexus line the sound systems are fairly boring.
Not sure when Toyota officially announced this, but it wouldn't surprise me if this spreads to other car makers if the reports pick up and there's more proof that Apple is entering the auto industry.
One would think they would want to offer the best experience for their customers, but this could be a way to start freezing Apple out of the car experience... at least for the time being.
Such antiquated thinking of Toyota to not support CarPlay. How hard is it really to make CarPlay an add-on and charge more money for it, as opposed to outright not supporting it.