Hyundai Drivers May Have to Wait for Apple CarPlay
Unfortunately, the powers that be over at Hyundai has, yet again, delayed putting the ever so popular Apple CarPlay into their Sonata midsize sedans. Back in 2014, Hyundai said that Apple’s CarPlay system was “the smarter, safer, and easier way to use an iPhone in the car.” The company also said back in 2014 that the technology would be available as early as the 2015 Sonata that was scheduled to arrive in April of 2014, but then there was the first round of delays. Next, Hyundai said that the CarPlay technology would be available in the first quarter of 2016. But, again, delays are upon us.
Apple CarPlay is definitely an interesting and innovative piece of technology. It allows automakers the chance to exchange the rather complicated infotainment systems for a sleek display that works seamlessly with customers’ iPhones. What CarPlay is not, however, is an in-car system that runs its own iOS or iOS applications. It is, rather, a connectivity feature that allows people in the car to essentially beam their phone’s iOS interface to the vehicle’s infotainment system display, which allows you to control a group of select apps—as well as your smart device—either with the aforementioned infotainment system’s touchscreen display or your own voice. That is to say, once you plug your iPhone into the vehicle (of course, via Lightning Cable), the phone’s user interface is instantly beamed to the vehicle’s infotainment display, there for your convince.
As you have probably already guessed, Apple and other automakers developed the CarPlay system in order to reduce the amount of driver distraction. That is, among the aforementioned features, the CarPlay system allows users can use their own voice to do things such as play music, make phone calls, get directions, or do web searches. By all means, it is a fantastic system that takes into account the fact that we absolutely need to ensure people have a safe way to access their phones while driving.
Hyundai’s failure to live up to their previous two promises does not necessarily look favorably on the company. “I’m very upset,” said Donna English, a Hyundai customer out of Converse, Texas who traded her Camry for a 2015 Sonata because she was intrigued by the CarPlay system. “I wanted to be able to use my iPhone safely for texts and phone calls. Hyundai should never have made the promise until they were positive they could deliver.” Hopefully, Hyundai is in the process of rectifying this situation and we will see the implication of Apple’s CarPlay system in the Sonata as soon as possible.
As is always the case, keep checking back in here with us at Rosen Hyundai for more information with regard to Apple’s CarPlay system being implemented into Hyundai vehicles.
