Honda introduces new iPhone-driven in-dash touchscreen
Japanese automaker Honda on Tuesday announced that the 2014 Civic and 2015 Fit will gain access to the company's new Display Audio system, a 7-inch built-in touchscreen with functionality partially powered by Apple's iPhone.
Display Audio's HondaLink Navigation powered by an iPhone
Display Audio represents perhaps the deepest integration seen from any automaker between smartphones and in-vehicle infotainment systems. In addition to combining several now-standard phone-connected functions --?like placing and receiving calls and messages over bluetooth --?with a new pinch- and swipe-able touchscreen user interface, Display Audio acts as a "second screen" for Honda's suite of HondaLink apps.
The HondaLink suite consists of four apps: Connect, Navigation, Aha, and Launcher. Connect powers most of Display Audio's information search functionality, giving owners access to things like point-of-interest search, local weather, and maintenance reminders. Aha focuses on entertainment, providing access to internet radio --?in addition to the built-in Pandora integration --?podcasts, audiobooks, news, and Twitter and Facebook access.
HondaLink's Navigation app is the most interesting of the group. Leveraging mapping data from Nokia, Navigation can be used outside of the vehicle to plan a trip, and the route can be displayed and edited on the Display Audio touchscreen, with turn-by-turn announcements routed through the vehicle's audio system once the user's iPhone is plugged in.
The touchscreen itself is a high-definition capacitive model measuring 7 inches diagonally, which Honda says is among the largest in its class. Display Audio will also integrate Apple's Siri Eyes Free mode, making the personal digital assistant a factory-installed option rather than the dealer-installed add-on Honda announced last month.
The Display Audio system is compatible with Apple's iPhone 5, 5c, and 5s, which connect to the vehicle via a special cable. While not a full implementation of Apple's iOS in the Car, Display Audio and the new HondaLink apps represent a significant leap forward in smartphone-vehicle integration.
Display Audio's HondaLink Navigation powered by an iPhone
Display Audio represents perhaps the deepest integration seen from any automaker between smartphones and in-vehicle infotainment systems. In addition to combining several now-standard phone-connected functions --?like placing and receiving calls and messages over bluetooth --?with a new pinch- and swipe-able touchscreen user interface, Display Audio acts as a "second screen" for Honda's suite of HondaLink apps.
The HondaLink suite consists of four apps: Connect, Navigation, Aha, and Launcher. Connect powers most of Display Audio's information search functionality, giving owners access to things like point-of-interest search, local weather, and maintenance reminders. Aha focuses on entertainment, providing access to internet radio --?in addition to the built-in Pandora integration --?podcasts, audiobooks, news, and Twitter and Facebook access.
Display Audio will be available on the 2014 Honda Civic and 2015 Honda Fit
HondaLink's Navigation app is the most interesting of the group. Leveraging mapping data from Nokia, Navigation can be used outside of the vehicle to plan a trip, and the route can be displayed and edited on the Display Audio touchscreen, with turn-by-turn announcements routed through the vehicle's audio system once the user's iPhone is plugged in.
The touchscreen itself is a high-definition capacitive model measuring 7 inches diagonally, which Honda says is among the largest in its class. Display Audio will also integrate Apple's Siri Eyes Free mode, making the personal digital assistant a factory-installed option rather than the dealer-installed add-on Honda announced last month.
The Display Audio system is compatible with Apple's iPhone 5, 5c, and 5s, which connect to the vehicle via a special cable. While not a full implementation of Apple's iOS in the Car, Display Audio and the new HondaLink apps represent a significant leap forward in smartphone-vehicle integration.
Comments
How's about Honda work with Apple to custom install iPad minis in the dash at a factory level. Apple need a program like that. Where the UI is handled in-house by Apple, but that'll never happen.
Where it can be easily replaced with a newer model.
Otherwise, fully support iOS in the Car instead of ... this thing.
How's about Honda work with Apple to custom install iPad minis in the dash at a factory level. Apple need a program like that. Where the UI is handled in-house by Apple, but that'll never happen.
Why? Breaks the Apple iDevice metaphor, for very little upside for Apple.
I (and Apple) don't want an iPad inside of each 'thing' I have... I want my singular iPad to 'talk to everything' I have.
What happened to the i-MID on that Civic?
Holy moly I'm glad I bought the 2012 model before they totally mucked it up with the 2013 and beyond!
C|net trolls whining about how Honda chose iOS when 82% of humanity uses Android. Scratching their heads over this one. They did they same thing when Nike introduced their sports monitoring FuelBand. Go figure.
They could just go Hyundai or Kia if they want an Android-based solution.
We bought a 2014 Honda CR-V a couple months ago without the nav option. We like Siri and Maps in iOS 7 on our iPhones. But we can and do use the phones in the CR-V paired via Bluetooth. This gives us hands-free calling, including the use of the phone-related buttons on the steering wheel for initiating, answering, and hang-up, playing of music on the phones through the car's speakers, with steering wheel button controls, and the routing of Siri's voice and the car's hands-free mic input to Siri. With the phone paired to the car, I can press and hold the phone's home button to summon Siri. It works pretty well.
Display Audio will also integrate Apple's Siri Eyes Free mode, making the personal digital assistant a factory-installed option rather than the dealer-installed add-on Honda announced last month.
Say what? I thought Siri Eyes Free was all about keeping your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.
And now Honda will have you looking at a small screen and taking a hand off the wheel to tap that screen?
Hmm. Well, this way Apple may be off the hook for any distracted-driving lawsuits relating to the touchscreen.
Why? Breaks the Apple iDevice metaphor, for very little upside for Apple.
I (and Apple) don't want an iPad inside of each 'thing' I have... I want my singular iPad to 'talk to everything' I have.
Heck yes, why ever not just BYOD? Have a nice shock absorbing mount with charger and swap it around. Especially makes sense for an LTE version: just one connection device charge then.
Not messing with controls while driving (because it’s not legal in the first place and outside the SOP of all vehicles) is safer.
Interesting. Says less about Honda and a lot more about the CNet forum users, doesn't it?
One "attention" button on the wheel to activate Siri.
I spent an hour in a new 2013 Honda with Honda's computer and navigation system. If I'm entitled to express an opinion, the system is horrifically slow, complicated, and error prone. Hopefully this upghrade will make the system tolerable.
So you think you know how it works after an hour? The software is surprisingly slow since it is flash-memory based instead of DVD. However, it is NOT complicated to use, and it is not error prone. I have had the 2013 Civic with Nav for 6 months and it is no different than my 2003 Accord Navi system. Same exact interface for inputting destinations.
What happened to the i-MID on that Civic?
Holy moly I'm glad I bought the 2012 model before they totally mucked it up with the 2013 and beyond!
Really? Are you sure about that? You might want to read the 2012 and 2013 reviews and compare. The 2012 was a disappointment in the industry with poor plastics on the interior and uneven lines. The flaws with the 2012 model were all fixed with the 2013 model. I almost bought a 2012 and glad I waited for the 2013. The 2012 dash looks awful with a large slab of plastic laying in front of it. The 2013 removed that design with cleaner lines and all flush with the rest of the interior.
We bought a 2014 Honda CR-V a couple months ago without the nav option. We like Siri and Maps in iOS 7 on our iPhones. But we can and do use the phones in the CR-V paired via Bluetooth. This gives us hands-free calling, including the use of the phone-related buttons on the steering wheel for initiating, answering, and hang-up, playing of music on the phones through the car's speakers, with steering wheel button controls, and the routing of Siri's voice and the car's hands-free mic input to Siri. With the phone paired to the car, I can press and hold the phone's home button to summon Siri. It works pretty well.
But the turn by turn directions on the iPhone cannot be sent to the stereo via bluetooth. You can hear Siri with Siri commands, but the iPhone's Nav feature will not bluetooth to the stereo. Your stereo will resume playing and the turn by turn will only be heard from the iPhone.
Say what? I thought Siri Eyes Free was all about keeping your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.
And now Honda will have you looking at a small screen and taking a hand off the wheel to tap that screen?
Hmm. Well, this way Apple may be off the hook for any distracted-driving lawsuits relating to the touchscreen.
Siri Eyes Free allows you to hold the phone button down on the steering wheel to activate Siri without having to press the home button on the iPhone. Has nothing to do with the touchscreen.
Now if AppleInsider would code their website correctly so Safari 6 would stop crashing, that would be nice. Crashes constantly under Mountain Lion (and under Mavericks, when I ran that POS for a few weeks).