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    Categories: Technology

Hyundai Adds Apple Carplay Support to 2016 Sonata

Hyundai Adds Apple Carplay Support to 2016 Sonata © Hyundai Motor Company

Hyundai is adding Apple CarPlay support to new 2016 Sonatas. CarPlay is the smarter, safer and easier way to use an iPhone® in the car and gives users the features they want such as Phone, Messages, Music, and Maps, while allowing them to stay focused on the road.

Hyundai Adds Apple Carplay Support to 2016 Sonata © Hyundai Motor Company

“Sonatas with CarPlay are rolling off our assembly line in Montgomery, Alabama, and arriving at Hyundai dealerships nationwide,” said Mike O’Brien, vice president, corporate and product planning, Hyundai Motor America. “Not only is Sonata built in America, it also is built with a high technology experience in mind.”

CarPlay delivers an instantly recognizable experience to iPhone users that will help them be instantly familiar and comfortable inside their Sonata. CarPlay support lets drivers make calls, get directions optimized for traffic conditions, listen to music and access messages. With CarPlay, Siri provides drivers an eyes-free experience by responding to requests through voice commands that are easily and directly accessed through the steering wheel’s voice button. Using a Lightning connector, CarPlay works with iPhone 5 and newer models running the iOS 7.1 or higher operating systems.

Hyundai Adds Apple Carplay Support to 2016 Sonata © Hyundai Motor Company

Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are available on the 2016 Sonata’s seven-inch Display Audio touchscreen and eight-inch navigation systems, optimizing the consumer experience even further with a larger screen. The CarPlay roster of supported apps can be found at the following link: https://www.apple.com/ios/carplay/. Android Auto’s app roster can be found here: g.co/androidauto.

There will be an announcement about CarPlay support on the 2016 Sonata Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid at a later date. Hyundai will also have an announcement in the near future related to CarPlay support for existing 2015 Sonatas with navigation, and 2016 Sonatas with Display Audio or navigation. These updates require a specific version of the on-board navigation map and Hyundai is developing a solution, which will provide both the map update and CarPlay support at no additional cost. When the CarPlay update becomes available customers can be notified by providing their contact information at www.hyundaiusa.com/phoneintegration.

Display Audio

Hyundai’s Display Audio system features a high-resolution seven-inch color touch-screen display optimized specifically for smartphone integrations and Blue Link®. In addition, Display Audio incorporates Hyundai’s latest and most innovative in-vehicle technology by offering a simple, multi-use home screen, HD Radio® capability, mixed AM, FM and SiriusXM presets, along with Pandora-link integration.

Additional Display Audio Features:

  • Integration with Apple’s Siri-powered “Eyes Free” mode
    – Functionality allows owners of compatible vehicles to use the voice command button on the steering wheel to ask Siri questions without taking their eyes off the road
    – Siri Eyes Free supports making calls, selecting and playing music, composing and reading back text messages, using Maps and getting directions, reading notifications, finding calendar information, and adding reminders, among other functions
  • Integration with Google’s voice actions and predictive Google Now functionality through Android Auto
    – Functionality allows owners of compatible vehicles to find destinations in Google Maps, set appointment reminders, make and receive calls, respond to text messages with intuitive voice commands, and more
  • Pandora integration
  • SiriusXM Satellite Radio with enhanced features
    – Pause, back and play for current station
    – Automatic recording of top six presets
  • SiriusXM Travel Link
    – Sports scores and schedules, stock ticker, movie times, fuel prices and weather/alerts
  • Advanced voice recognition
  • Multi-touch screen that supports swipe and wipe gestures
  • New home screen with multiple functions

Display Audio combines the best of phone-based connectivity technologies with Blue Link. Blue Link provides a full suite of safety and diagnostic features, as well as features that are only possible with an embedded connected car system, such as remote engine start, stolen vehicle recovery and remote door lock/unlock.

Eight-Inch Navigation System

Hyundai’s eight-inch navigation system offers an enhanced display and home screen that shows map and music information, regardless of the music source. The Blue Link Guidance package (three-month trial included) works with Hyundai’s on-board navigation system by providing Destination Search, powered by Google™, as well as POI Web Search and Download to help you get to your destinations via your connected car. Owners can make the most of Blue Link with the ability to send searched locations to their car’s navigation system.

Blue Link

Blue Link brings seamless connectivity directly into the car with technology like Remote Start with Climate Control, a Monthly Vehicle Health Report, Remote Door Lock/Unlock, Car Finder and Stolen Vehicle Recovery. Remote features can be accessed via Hyundai’s smartphone app or Web portal. Blue Link also features maintenance alerts and safety features, such as Automatic Collision Notification and SOS. The Blue Link system uses a 4G connection. The Blue Link Connected Care package includes safety and diagnostic features and is standard for one year on equipped models.

Steve Allen: