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Carsales Staff20 Dec 2014
NEWS

Hyundai plots infotainment revolution

Korean car-maker to adopt Android Auto and Apple CarPlay in-car entertainment, likely for Oz around mid-2015

As former boy-band front man Robbie Williams once sang, "Let meee-eee infotain you" (OK, so those weren't his exact words), Hyundai is planning an in-car infotainment revolution that could give it the jump on its rivals.

The audacious Korean car-maker has announced it will reveal its new 'Display Audio' system at the 2015 Consumer Electronic Show, or CES, in Las Vegas from January 6, and says it will eventually be offered on every vehicle it sells.

That includes Australia, where it's likely to be offered as soon as July next year.

Display Audio comprises a 7.0-inch touch-screen that will be integrated into Hyundai (and presumably Kia) vehicles and eschews a native CD player and satellite-navigation system, although the latter can be mirrored from users' smartphones.

The new infotainment system will also be compatible with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, giving most smartphone owners the ability to control their phones with the car's steering wheel buttons or similar, and also display typical phone functions on the car's touch- screen.

The company wants to offer the new system with "lower price Hyundai models without embedded navigation systems".

Hyundai says it wants to make the new system available on its entry-level cars as soon as possible, because they are what younger, tech-savvy customers are predominantly buying.

Set to be launched on 2016 models — which in the US means it'll be available from 2015 — the new Display Audio system is connected via USB — not Bluetooth.

"Once the connection is made, users can access their smartphone for phone calls and contacts, music, navigation, messaging and optimised third-party apps," says Hyundai.

The car-maker is already testing the software and hardware units in Australia, where Hyundai's public relations chief Bill Thomas told motoring.com.au that the importer was "very interested" in the technology and working towards offering in locally within 12 months or sooner.

"This technology is the way forward and our product planning and engineering boys are already looking at the [Display Audio] unit here," he said.

Although Thomas said nothing was in concrete yet, he hinted that the new system could be offered here "as early as mid-2015" but cautioned that "the date could shift".

Just as Hyundai of America has said it wants to offer the new infotainment system on its more affordable models, Hyundai Australia is leaning the same way.

"We haven’t confirmed which models we're using it for, but it would seem to make sense to offer it across the range," said Thomas.

US customers will have access to satellite radio and can even operate climate-control, door locks and engine start remotely via their phone, but it's not clear if Aussies will have the same level of functionality.

"Display Audio will have navigation capability through smartphone integrations and will also offer entertainment apps for music, news, sports, and Podcasts," says the company, noting that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto third-party apps will be supported.

The key difference to current systems, such as Holden's MyLink, Ford's SYNC and Mazda's MZD Connect, is that vehicle software will not need to be updated for new apps to integrate.

Ahead of its launch at the 2015 CES, Cason Grover, senior group manager of cross-carline planning at Hyundai Motor America, outlined the importance of the new cost-effective Display Audio system.

"As affordable car buyers are often younger, Hyundai aims to provide what they want most in their car — all the latest smartphone-enabled technologies at a lower price.

"Hyundai will offer more technology than ever before inside affordable Hyundai models, allowing owners not only to text message through voice commands and stream their favourite music apps, but also to make calls in a safer way and navigate using phone-based, off-board navigation through the car’s screen and controls," he said.

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Written byCarsales Staff
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