Honda is planning to bring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to its select vehicles which have it available on a wired setting only, and this will retrofit the infotainment system for a more intuitive experience. This will be available to its cars from the years 2018 to 2022, but there are several catches with the said retrofit that would update the systems to get the feature.
The renowned Japanese automaker said that this update would bring the wireless feature to as many as 600,000 vehicles available.
Honda to Bring Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
(Photo : Honda)
According to the latest press release from Honda US, there would be a change coming for some of its vehicles which only have access to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto via charging wires connected to the head unit.
Through this new retrofit program, the company is looking to upgrade the experience for the digital service of either platform, encompassing the smartphone industry.
The company's goal is to bring improved value and maximize the lifetime of Honda cars, especially as these features help upgrade the experience for in-car driving.
This quick software update enables customers to leverage hardware already in their Honda vehicle to enjoy seamless connectivity through wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Jay Joseph, Vice President of the Sustainability & Business Development Division at American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
However, this said software update has several caveats, and first off, car owners would have to pay the MSRP of $112 plus labor charges to update the system among dealerships.
Next, it is only available for 2018 to 2022 Honda Accord models, but for cars sold as Honda Certified Pre-Owned, there would be no additional charges.
Wireless In-Car Systems
There has been an infamous trend among automakers in the past years where they are removing the famed Apple CarPlay and Android Auto experience to push for their self-made hands-free experiences in cars. This includes the likes of Tesla, General Motors, as well as BMW who shipped cars without the renowned experiences temporarily because of their chipset issue.
However, some companies argue that having Apple's CarPlay and Android Auto are essential experiences for in-car driving, particularly with a hands-free feature that will help drivers be less distracted. Ford is one of the companies that advocate keeping these features, stating that this will help avoid fewer urges to use the smartphone as it is integrated into the system.
The last resort for owners wanting this are to purchase third-party systems that would deliver the experience, including the likes of changing the head unit or buying a retrofit system for existing infotainment systems. Honda will do this retrofit themselves and no longer leave customers high and dry for their wireless experience needs, but is only available for 2018 to 2022 Accords, for a certain price.
