Mikey Campbell
Honda on Thursday announced that the 2016 model year Accord will be its first car to support CarPlay, making good on a promise from March of last year to bring Apple's iOS-powered infotainment platform to its auto lineup.
As reported by Re/code, Honda unveiled the 2016 Accord at its research center in Mountain View, Calif. in front of gathered mainstream and tech press. The automaker chose the venue as a nod to Silicon Valley's impact on the automotive industry, the publication said.
While Accord offers support for both CarPlay and Google's Android Auto platform, the car's infotainment system is running a modified version of Android. CarPlay and Android Auto can be thought of as smartphone-powered user interfaces that piggyback on top of a main operating system. For example, Ford's SYNC 3 touchscreen console runs Blackberry QNX, but will soon offer support for CarPlay.
Honda was one of the first carmakers to pledge support for CarPlay when Apple officially introduced the product last March. The announcement came just months after Honda introduced Display Audio, an infotainment system that offered deep integration with iPhone.
Apple's CarPlay has seen a windfall of support over the past few months as automakers let loose details on their respective 2016 model year lineups. Most recently, General Motors in June announced upcoming support for 2016 GM and Buick models just after its Chevrolet brand revealed CarPlay integration for this year's Corvette Z06.
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24 Comments
This isn't unexpected which is why I said years ago that Apple should use their position to design an template that would allow all automakers and mobile OSes to work with so you freely choose the automaker and smartphone maker of your choice. The former is clearly happening, and hopefully the latter is also in place, but so far all we only know that Android Auto is following in the footsteps of CarPlay.
Meanwhile, the photo above shows CarPlay running on a Honda Civic.
I have right to say few words as a long time Honda and Toyota owner. Good job Honda and shame on you Toyota !!! I don't care all of the Carplay or Android Auto functionalities other than few like phone/text, music and Map's mirroring from smartphone to car's display. For years, auto manufacturers lagged behind in maps update to their own dash board map version. Moreover, they charged several thousand for just map update. It's time to step aside little and let these Apple, Google guys provide at minimum phone, music and maps functionality from smartphone to cars. Rest you guys can keep to your chest.
I echo wood1208's comments. Too many car manufacturers have ignored the lesson of successful technology which starts as hardware (Wang word processors, Sun Micro workstations, big hard drive units for storage) and get supplanted by more nimble, less expensive, and more powerful software solutions (WordPerfect & Word, PC's, and Dropbox). For way too long, greedy car companies offered clumsy, ultra expensive,static GPS systems that were obsolete as soon as they delivered to the customer. If a consumer kept a car for five or six years, it was like having an iPhone 2 in an iPhone 6 era. Carplay smartly allows heavily invested & loyal cellphone users to use familiar, well-tested, and dynamic apps supplied by those who are expert in the industry--Apple & Google--to allow their customers to have a state of the art experience throughout the several years they may own their car. Bravo, Honda, and Boo, Toyota! I for one an holding off my car purchase so I can buy my next car with Carplay
I have right to say few words as a long time Honda and Toyota owner. Good job Honda and shame on you Toyota !!!
I don't care all of the Carplay or Android Auto functionalities other than few like phone/text, music and Map's mirroring from smartphone to car's display. For years, auto manufacturers lagged behind in maps update to their own dash board map version. Moreover, they charged several thousand for just map update. It's time to step aside little and let these Apple, Google guys provide at minimum phone, music and maps functionality from smartphone to cars. Rest you guys can keep to your chest.
Huh? There is no auto manufacturer in the world that charges several thousand for a map update. Most auto companies update their maps on a yearly basis. I get a new SD map card every year for $40 for one of my vehicles.