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CARS.COM — Mazda has announced that it will add Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capability to its lineup of cars and SUVs, but it did not offer an official timeline — yet.
Related: Mazda Announces 2017 CX-5 Pricing
If you own a 2014, 2016 or 2017 Mazda, you might now be able to install Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Time was overdue for Mazda to make Apple CarPlay and Android Auto a feature in its new models. MyMazda also helps you save with coupons about service offers exclusively for Mazda owners. And with the app, you’ll have the contact information of your service dealer and the nearest Mazda Dealers right at your fingertips, making it fast and easy to schedule a service appointment.
The announcement came at a launch for the redesigned 2017 CX-5, but Mazda did not say which vehicle would be the first to debut with the smartphone mirroring technology installed. However, the part of the announcement that will be more exciting to some is that both technologies “should be retroactively upgradeable onto all Mazda Connect systems with a potentially minimal hardware addition needed,” Mazda spokesperson Jacob Brown said.
It’s an exciting proposition for those who have recently purchased Mazda vehicles and means that they won’t be locked out of adding these features. Mazda Connect made its debut on the 2014 Mazda3 and has spread throughout the lineup since then. It is now offered on each vehicle in the Mazda lineup. Mazda did not say how much potential hardware additions would cost or when they would be available.
- If your new car has it (or will have it soon via software update), you can expect to see your Google Cards (like appointments and reminders), send and receive texts with your voice, and control apps like Pandora, Spotify, I Heart Radio and MLB At Bat verbally or via your car’s touchscreen.
- Word from Mazda as recently as March is that both Apple Carplay and Android Auto are coming soon, and will be able to be installed for current owners, provided your model is recent enough to have the current Mazda Connect system - so around 2014 onward.
- When Will Android Auto Be Available for Mazda Models. Android Auto is Google’s car connectivity interface, allowing you to connect your phone to your vehicle, and displaying information in a way that is easy to comprehend and interact with on the road.
This news leaves Toyota as one of the final holdouts against integrating those app technologies, which are now available on more than 200 new models. Read the full statement on the update from Mazda below:
“Mazda has been a CarPlay and Android Auto partner since 2014, so it is no secret that we are developing both systems to interface with our Mazda Connect infotainment system. Both software systems should be retroactively upgradeable onto all Mazda Connect systems with a potentially minimal hardware addition needed. Mazda does not yet have an official timeline for when these should be available or at what cost, however.”
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So far, automakers have done a pretty terrible job of designing infotainment systems. Those systems are so bad, they're causing quality scores to plummet and inspiring unpleasant lawsuits.
And yet, automakers stubbornly keep churning out wonky in-dash tech. Toyota went so far as to say that it would never allow third-party software like Apple CarPlay or Android Auto on its vehicles.
Can You Download Android Auto For A 2014 Mazda 2
Now, Google has done an end-run around Toyota. In fact, it's bypassing all automakers who might generate a bit of extra cash by selling Android Auto as an upgrade.
How? By allowing Android Auto to run as a smartphone app. A free app.
That's great news--not just for people who find smartphones easier to use than the screens on the center stacks of their cars, but also for folks who drive cars without screens at all. Own a 1992 Toyota Corolla? Congratulations: you can now enjoy Android Auto.
Before you get too excited, though, there are a couple of caveats. Most importantly, to use Android Auto on your phone, you'll need a device running Android--specifically, Android 5.0 (Lollipop) or later. And of course, you'll need the updated Android Auto app, which won't roll out for another few days. (If you're feeling antsy, you can download the current Android Auto app, which will upgrade to 2.0 soon.)
Once you've got all that, just crack open the app, and Android Auto will create a driver-friendly version of the Android operating system you know so well, limiting access to apps that can be used safely on the road. It will also allow you to use voice commands to take calls and send messages, and it will read directions to get you from Point A to Point B. Eventually, you'll be able to use voice commands to access apps, too.
All of which sounds great and raises two interesting questions:
1. Will Apple follow suit and offer CarPlay as a free app, too (much to the dismay of dealers)?
2. Will this finally convince automakers to spend less time on infotainment tech and more time developing self-driving software and electric cars?
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If you've got answers to either of those questions, share them in the comments below.
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