Toyota finally rolls out Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
New RAV4 will be Australia’s first Toyota model with smartphone mirroring software – but there’s a catchToyota Australia will finally get up to speed with its infotainment systems in Australia after announcing Apple CarPlay and Android Auto would soon become available on at least three of its models.
The Japanese car-maker says it has reached a solution to fit the required software to its latest multimedia system. As such, from the fourth quarter of this year, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be fitted as standard on several models as well as an extra-cost retrofit option via dealers in some instances.
The first application of either mirroring application will be the fifth-generation Toyota RAV4 on sale this week.
The catch is that those who purchase their RAV4 before the fourth quarter will need to return to a Toyota dealership for a free software upgrade.
Toyota Australia is also offering upgrades to the latest versions of the Camry and Corolla hatch.
“Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be rolled out progressively as a standard feature across select Toyota models from the fourth quarter of 2019 onwards,” the car-maker says.
Mazda announced a similar rollout last year, however, the retrofit dated back to models built since 2013.
Toyota hasn’t confirmed how much it will charge Corolla hatch or Camry customers to upgrade to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; Mazda charged $495.
A spokesman said the feature was not retrofittable to Australia’s best-selling new passenger model, the HiLux, at this point because its multimedia system is one generation behind.
Toyota’s move leaves Nissan as the only top 10 automotive player in Australia to go without either phone-mirroring software.
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