Mazda is finally embracing touchscreen tech for its in-car infotainment system, with buyers of the CX-5 specifically getting an easier way to manage Apple CarPlay.
CarPlay in iOS 17
In the majority of in-car infotainment systems that have CarPlay support, touchscreens are the usual way of interacting with it, though alternative methods are also available. In the case of Mazda, which has largely embraced avoiding touchscreen control in favor of a "multi-function commander knob," the car producer is finally changing its mind on the matter.
As part of an update to the Mazda CX-5, the 2024 edition will be getting a number of changes, with a press release spotted by The Autopian briefly mentioning the infotainment system.
According to the release, the vehicle will use a 10.25-inch full-color display with the "latest Mazda Connect infotainment system" that can be controlled with the regular knob. However, it is also "integrated with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto that now feature touchscreen functionality."
Mazda has included CarPlay in its infotainment system for models going as far back as the 2018 Mazda6.
Indeed, it is pointed out by the report that this isn't the first time Mazda has included touchscreen CarPlay support in its vehicles. It has done so on the Mazda CX-50, albeit as a heavily-buried and minimally marketed feature., while the CX-90 offers touchscreen support for phone mirroring but not normal infotainment usage.
Mazda's mentioning of touchscreen CarPlay support in the "latest" edition of its infotainment system could be a good sign for other future models incorporating the feature. While it doesn't eliminate the knob control system, it does at least offer a familiar control scheme that other manufacturers have already embraced.
It's also a sign that car manufacturers are not electing to follow GM's lead and abandon CarPlay in favor of their own in-house systems. That GM move has so far not gone down well with the company's own dealers.