Hyundai bringing CarPlay to Sonata in next quarter via paid SD card upgrade

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPhone
Hyundai will finally be adding Apple CarPlay support to the Sonata in the first quarter of 2016, over a year later than promised, in the form of a paid upgrade.




Drivers will have to buy an SD card to update their vehicles, according to the Detroit Free Press. Previously Hyundai promised that CarPlay would be free for compatible 2015 and 2016 Sonata models, and the company has yet to specify which exact cars the SD card will work with.

The reason for the delay is unknown, as is why the company is suddenly charging for the upgrade. Drivers can already get Google's Android Auto in the Sonata without paying extra.

CarPlay has had a relatively slow rollout overall. It was first launched in March 2014, but still had minimal support by the end of that year. Only in 2015 have a wide number of vehicles begun adopting support -- even then, only in newer models, leaving many people to buy an aftermarket dash display from Alpine, Kenwood, or Pioneer if they want the option.

Some other vehicles do at least have Siri Eyes Free, which lets drivers make Siri voice commands on an iPhone without taking their hands off the wheel.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 9
    brianlflbrianlfl Posts: 9member
    Class action lawsuit,  I predict (Yoda voice)
    razorpitjbdragon
  • Reply 2 of 9
    llamallama Posts: 102member
    I have to guess that it will be available via torrent the day of release.
  • Reply 3 of 9
    zroger73zroger73 Posts: 787member
    It's not that great of an experience from what I've seen. The car does not run iOS nor is the hardware is designed by Apple. The smoothness, fluidity, and feel is definitely not Apple-like.
  • Reply 4 of 9
    canukstormcanukstorm Posts: 2,699member
    zroger73 said:
    It's not that great of an experience from what I've seen. The car does not run iOS nor is the hardware is designed by Apple. The smoothness, fluidity, and feel is definitely not Apple-like.
    Can't speak for Hyundais but it's pretty fluid on the 2016 Honda Civic. Guess it must depend upon the quality / latency of the screen they're using.
  • Reply 5 of 9
    sdw2001sdw2001 Posts: 18,016member
    I have a 2015 Azera, and thought it would be CarPlay compatible.  It does have a much higher level of integration than before (I had a 2013 Azera, and a 2011 Sonata), but I don't see the features advertised like being able access Messages, Podcasts and Maps.  They advertise compatibility, so I don't know.  I need to ask my dealer about it when it's in for service.  
  • Reply 6 of 9
    tommikeletommikele Posts: 599member
    brianlfl said:
    Class action lawsuit,  I predict (Yoda voice)
    For what and on what grounds? No lawsuit for lying has a chance unless you can prove you purchased one of the models in question based on them saying there would be a free upgrade and the exact wording of whatever they said most likely covers their rear end. The worst case is they have to give you a free flash drive with software on it and it costs them a few bucks. It's impossible anyone suffered damages beyond that. Before you throw around terms like class action lawsuit, you need to have some knowledge of what's required to gain class action status or what the actual damages are or what it would cost to make a plaintiff whole if they actually had a case.
  • Reply 7 of 9
    wood1208wood1208 Posts: 2,913member
    Give them Hyundai credit to offer late than never. For them one good selling point.
  • Reply 8 of 9
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,727member
    So you can put lipstick on a pig after all!  
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