Chevy's 2016 Volt hybrid electric car will feature support for Apple's CarPlay

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2015
Chevrolet took the wraps off its new 2016 Volt at the North American International Auto Show on Monday, revealing that the next-generation electric vehicle will feature support for Apple's CarPlay in its infotainment system.




The new 2016 Volt was on display on the show floor, and The Verge spotted mention of CarPlay in the vehicle's dash. Support for general Bluetooth and MirrorLink was also featured, and there was one glaring omission: Android Auto.

Things could change before the new Volt launches in mid-2016, however, as Chevy's official press release made no mention of CarPlay, despite its inclusion in the vehicle's settings menu on the show floor.

The all-new Voltec extended range electric vehicle system found in the 2016 Chevrolet Volt will feature a range of more than 400 miles, 50 of those in all-electric mode. Chevy says the average driver will be able to get 1,000 miles between gas fill-ups, with regular electric recharging every night.

The 2016 Volt features a new 192-cell/18.4-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, and a new, 111-kW, two-motor drive unit. It's said to be up to 12 percent more efficient than its predecessor, and approximately 100 pounds lighter than the previous system, all while going from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 8.4 seconds.

"The improvements in the efficiency and performance of the 2016 Volt are driven by what owners said they wanted in the next-generation model: more range, better fuel economy and stronger acceleration," said Andrew Farah, vehicle chief engineer. "Building on General Motors' industry leading battery and drive-unit technologies, we've delivered all of that, while also making the Volt more refined and fun to drive."




Pricing on the new Volt, including how much an upgraded infotainment system with CarPlay support might cost, was not announced on Monday.

Chevy will join Volkswagen in introducing CarPlay in its built-in car entertainment systems with new models debuting this year. Other supporting manufacturers, albeit with less specifics about availability, are Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, BMW, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai Motor Company, Jaguar, Land Rover, Kia, Mitsubishi, Nissan, PSA Peugeot Citro?n, Subaru, Suzuki and Toyota.

Apple's much-anticipated in-car iOS solution grants users access to iPhone functions like music, navigation, messages, phone and more via specialized physical and onscreen car controls. Looking to minimize distractions, CarPlay features a steering wheel-mounted Siri button for voice control, large iOS-styled icons and app integration.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 22
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,212member
    Chevrolet took the wraps off its new 2016 Volt at the North American International Auto Show on Monday, revealing that the next-generation electric vehicle will feature support for Apple's CarPlay in its infotainment system.

    The new 2016 Volt was on display on the show floor, and <em>The Verge</em> <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2015/1/12/7531105/chevrolets-2016-volt-has-carplay-support">spotted mention</a> of CarPlay in the vehicle's dash. Support for general Bluetooth and MirrorLink was also featured, and there was one glaring omission: Android Auto.

    Based on earlier news reports from November last year the infotainment system itself may be based on Android.
    http://www.autonews.com/article/20141104/OEM06/141109954?template=mobile&X-IgnoreUserAgent=1
  • Reply 2 of 22
    Ohhh, how I HATE 3-spoke steering wheels.
  • Reply 3 of 22
    thrangthrang Posts: 1,008member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post





    Based on earlier news reports from November last year the infotainment system itself may be based on Android.

    http://www.autonews.com/article/20141104/OEM06/141109954?template=mobile&X-IgnoreUserAgent=1



    Poop changes...there would be little reason to show CarPlay in vehicle unless it was already decided or meant to gauge feedback.

     

    Perhaps Chevy also has internal data that indicates what type of smartphones its Volt customers use; if predominantly iOS, the move would be wise.

     

    Or perhaps now they can make the front end an option...while I doubt this from a support point of view, eventually, why not?

     

    And from later in that linked article:

     

    Quote:

    At the CES technology convention this January, GM announced that it would launch a service called AppShop in 2014, populated by apps from National Public Radio, the Weather Channel and the hotel-shopping site Priceline.

    GM publicly backed away from that plan in July.

    "The app shop didn't meet our customer experience expectations, and so we've delayed the introduction of it," the news site MLive.com quoted Phil Abram, chief infotainment officer at GM, as saying at an event in Detroit marking the launch of the 4G LTE service.

    Experts saw GM’s decision to delay the service as a reaction to Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto, which allow drivers to access apps on a car’s infotainment screen by pairing an iPhone or an Android smartphone with the car.

    GM has said it will offer both, but has not said in which models they will debut.



    (emphasis mine)

  • Reply 4 of 22
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,212member
    thrang wrote: »

    Poop changes...there would be little reason to show CarPlay in vehicle unless it was already decided or meant to gauge feedback.

    Perhaps Chevy also has internal data that indicates what type of smartphones its Volt customers use; if predominantly iOS, the move would be wise.

    Or perhaps now they can make the front end an option...while I doubt this from a support point of view, eventually, why not?
    Using Android as the OS would not preclude the use of CarPlay would it? Simply another OS option in addition to some others they use like QNX. Apple's iOS would not be the operating system anyway.

    EDIT: I noted you had added to your last post. To avoid confusion you should be aware that Android the OS, and specifically Android 'M", is not the same as Android Auto, Google's CarPlay equivalent. Android Auto is not an OS anymore than CarPlay is.
  • Reply 5 of 22
    Hey Chevrolet,

    Haven't you noticed that most apps are launched for both Apple and Android? Supporting only Apple Play cuts out at least half the market. Last time I checked, there are more Android users out there. http://www.businessinsider.com/iphone-v-android-market-share-2014-5
  • Reply 6 of 22
    I hope the new Volt is built better than the previous flimsy model that felt like a toy from a dollar store. Yuck!
  • Reply 7 of 22
    I hope the new Volt is built better than the previous flimsy model that felt like a toy from a dollar store. Yuck!

    It's still a GM product, so it won't be.
  • Reply 8 of 22
    gqbgqb Posts: 1,934member

    <already in article>

  • Reply 9 of 22
    thrangthrang Posts: 1,008member
    With CarPlay, and presumably Android Auto, there is rich functionality layer that sits between the user and the back end. When you use CarPlay, you are using a version of iOS which in turn talks to the car.

    Much like the Apple Watch is more dumb than smart (and relies on the connectivity with the iPhone to do much of its work), CarPlay relies on the iPhone, not the embedded OS in the car, for it's high level functionality.The embedded system simply takes the handoff but is not the QB - interactivity, GUI, computation for navigation, making a phone call, accessing music etc...are handled by the top level OS - in this case, iOS.

    The sea change, whether for Apple or Google, is beginning to move the core comm/entertainment functionality out of the car OS and into the users device of choice.

    Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see how the next 12-18 months evolve for CarPlay.
  • Reply 10 of 22

    The 2016 Chevy Volt will launch in the second half of 2015, not in mid-2016.

  • Reply 11 of 22
    sirozhasirozha Posts: 801member

    Can I get a Volt in a GM version without a cross plastered all over the car? Can we keep religion out of the car business? 

     

    Or, can I get the religious symbol of my choice on this car, perhaps as an alternative to the cross? 

  • Reply 12 of 22
    Maybe buy a Holden Volt? Logo looks better ;)
    sirozha wrote: »
    Can I get a Volt in a GM version without a cross plastered all over the car? Can we keep religion out of the car business? 

    Or, can I get the religious symbol of my choice on this car, perhaps as an alternative to the cross? 
  • Reply 13 of 22
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by sirozha View Post

     

    Can I get a Volt in a GM version without a cross plastered all over the car? Can we keep religion out of the car business? 

     

    Or, can I get the religious symbol of my choice on this car, perhaps as an alternative to the cross? 


     

    I'm not sure if you are being sarcastic or not, but that's not a cross - it's a bowtie: http://www.chevrolet.com/culture/article/bowtie-history.html

  • Reply 14 of 22



    Really?! Zero problems with ours after 43000 miles. Solid, quiet, fun to drive, guess you must be driving a Leaf.

  • Reply 15 of 22



    Buy the Cadillac version, of course they priced that one stupid so you'll pay twice not to have carry a cross.

  • Reply 16 of 22
    sirozha wrote: »
    Can I get a Volt in a GM version without a cross plastered all over the car? Can we keep religion out of the car business? 

    Or, can I get the religious symbol of my choice on this car, perhaps as an alternative to the cross? 

    You sound cross.
  • Reply 17 of 22
    joshajosha Posts: 901member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by siromega View Post

     

    The 2016 Chevy Volt will launch in the second half of 2015, not in mid-2016.


    That's OK timing for us, we are looking for a new car for purchase in 2016.

    But it needs to have more room for the driver than the current Volt I sat in. I'm about 5'-11" and was squashed  in it.

    Definitely not comfortable for me.

     

    Then it needs a spare tire suitable for at least 50mph for at least  2k miles, which is safe on wet roads.

    It's drive train is designed for highway driving, so it needs to be equipped for same driving.

    Increasingly cars have no spare, just a stupid patching kit.  They are useless for us, actually they are an insult to most.

    Run flats aren't any better for highway driving, but at least are OK for urban driving.

     

    So we'll look at it GM, unless reports indicate it doesn't meet our basic needs.

    The competition is tough GM, our short list currently has the VW Passat TSI at the top. Confirmed by a recent 2 wk rental.

  • Reply 18 of 22
    I guess this version of the Volt is a bit less of a design and engineering horror show compared to the first version.

    On a related note it's almost unbelievable they chose to call their new all-electric car the "Bolt"... wow.
  • Reply 19 of 22
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by snapjack View Post

     



    Buy the Cadillac version, of course they priced that one stupid so you'll pay twice not to have carry a cross.




    Is it the new Cadillac Cimmaron?

  • Reply 20 of 22
    I hope the new Volt is built better than the previous flimsy model that felt like a toy from a dollar store. Yuck!

    Really? Did you drive one? I did, and I liked it! You must be really picky!
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