“Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto are facing a push back from automakers led by Ford Motor Co. and Toyota Motor,” Reinhardt Krause reports for Investor’s Business Daily. “Ford and Toyota on Wednesday said four medium-sized automakers — Mazda Motor, PSA Group, Fuji Heavy Industries and Suzuki Motor Corp. — have joined their SmartDeviceLink Consortium, which aims to develop an open-source software platform that app developers can use as an alternative to Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto.”
“Ford and Toyota announced the new consortium members at the CES consumer electronics show, which is going on all week in Las Vegas,” Krause reports. “Ford stock was up more than 2.5% in early trading in the stock market today, while Toyota stock was up 1.5%.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: The SmartDeviceLink Consortium, like Google, won’t be able to keep pace with Apple’s CarPlay.
SEE ALSO:
CarPlay: The best incarnation of Apple’s ecosystem – October 12, 2016
Apple’s greatest innovation: It’s the ecosystem, stupid – September 7, 2016
It’s the ecosystem, stupid: Why Apple’s latest OS’s complete each other – July 1, 2016
macOS Sierra: Apple’s gateway drug – June 22, 2016
A week with macOS Sierra – June 22, 2016
The new ways Apple’s macOS Sierra works with your iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch – June 22, 2016
All-Apple product users have a distinct advantage over others with seamless Continuity – June 5, 2014
I like the idea in principle. Now, to watch them screw it up….
Or not!
As long as it’s an alternative, and not a replacement. The next car I buy, the first question is, “Does it have CarPlay?”
Building a car (the whole widget) is the only way long term….
Apple doesn’t build the whole widget today, thanks to outsourcing specialist Cook. What makes you think the current leadership of Apple is going to go back to its Made in California roots?
Tesla can, Apple apparently cannot.
Ford is so good at software. Remember its choice for Sync and the blue screen of death???
Will Ford ever learn?
MyTouch Microcrap system in my 2013 Focus>>>an abomination from start to finish
Sync 3 in my 2016 Titanium Focus>>>still at version 1.0 with software bugs; and waiting for Ford to make good on its last January “later this year” Carplay install promise. Seems Ford will never learn when it comes to customer trust and integrity. However, I do. Next lease won’t be a Ford.
I don’t like the idea in principle. Now, watch them screw up an already bad concept…
Enlightening. Thank you. Especially the parts where you explain why.
I don’t like the idea in principle. Now watch them screw up an already bad concept…
how nice, as we watch the midsize and *ahem* affordable auto brands increasingly narrow and bypass mr. apple and google,
looks like mr. apple will find it all the easier to live up to its new mantra
‘premium products at premium prices for premium customers”
except not everyone is in a position to buy into those premium echelons. there are a lot more people of modest means these days than there used to be, as full time well paying jobs disappear and more part time, or lower paying service jobs open up.
not a good trend for businesses who want to sell more products, but find fewer people can afford them.
Hyundai and Kia are adding CarPlay and Google Auto or whatever they call it. I prefer Toyota/Lexus, so this is frustrating and I’ll actually hold out until they add CarPlay support or go to a different manufacturer. Most of the cars offering this feature are making them work with both iOS and android, so complaints of “premium” just doesn’t fit.
Ford felt that Ford SYNC was good enough for their customers. One has to wonder what they will settle for now.
It hasn’t come as any sort of surprise to hear that major manufacturers are avoiding having anything to do with Apple or Google when it comes to the electronics in cars. Leading manufacturers have been openly saying exactly that for a couple of years now.
If Apple wants to put it’s control systems into cars, Apple will have to build those cars itself and those manufacturers who shunned Apple will only have themselves to blame if they lose sales to Apple.
I would put my money on Apple over any existing car company. The car companies usually just go to outside contractors, anyway. And they have done such a great job w overpriced, dorky GPS, map, and navigation systems.
As for Google …they are desperately looking for a way out of their one trick pony: pay-per-view ads. (Or to further consolidate it in cars?) As far as premium goes, the word ‘Google’ is the opposite, isn’t it? Unless you are talking about freaking ads.
I first got involved with Ford SYNC when I bought a new Ford and discovered that syncing my brand new iPhone to it was flaky and that it couldn’t access the address book at all. The dealer explained that my iPhone was brand new and that manufacturers design their cars a year or two ahead so it’s impossible to cater for every new phone right away.
When the time came to trade in that car three or four years later, I was not so naive, so insisted on seeing the new model sync with my iPhone ( which was still the trusty 3GS that I had been using all along ). When the address book wouldn’t sync, the dealer made the excuse that my iPhone was too old to be fully supported in a brand new car. I then asked him to take me to any Ford in the second hand lot that would sync perfectly with my iPhone. There must have been one that was built at the Goldilocks point, not too soon and not too late. Needless to say he declined to demonstrate, but assured me that most phones work with most Fords. I was completely unimpressed by his approach and bought elsewhere.
Back when Microsoft Sync first came out, the salesman said Sync works really good with Android, but cannot read texts on IOS devices. Sync still does not read text messages off of IOS. It may be that IOS’s standard is MMS and not text, but I don’t know. I don’t have problems with BT or being able to play music off of my IOS devices, but I cannot do anything else but listen, the voice commands from Sync do not work. The USB ports still do not provide enough power to charge iPads, which I find really stupid. I have a 2016 F150.
I am home to carbs one Toyota Avalon and one Toyota RAV4 I have put a pioneer nex5200 system in the old Avalon, while the new RAV 4 has toyotas latest infotainment (entune) system. CarPlay is significantly better than the new RAV 4’s system and I’m currently exploring putting in the same pioneer system in that vehicle. As a long time Toyota Owner i understand why they would want to do this, but it’s the wrong move. They are great at making reliable cars that never die, but software is not in their wheelhouse. Ford makes sense because they were burned by Microsoft and think they can’t trust tech companies. (But that’s just because they backed the wrong horse).
My experience with CarPlay has been excellent and I think every car should include it. Maybe apple can say “we won’t charge you a license fee, we’ll absorb the cost, just include it”
Of course they could just do an end run around all this nonsense and build their own car.
I just got a Camry from trading in my discontinued Scion tC….The Camry has a crappy sound system from the factory. I inquired about a CarPlay system and was told nothing fits my 2017 Camry …??? what ??? They purposely designed a “double din” unit that has “wings” on it that have control functions Volume, Tuning etc. …I was told that Toyota does not want you to replace their systems…??? what ??? when they come with a crappy system and a “normal” Double Din size has not a chance to replace a proprietary system is BS!!! This its exactly like non replaceable parts such as Soldered-In RAM in MAC Mini’s….it drives me mad!!!
That’s the exact same problem I’m having with the RAV 4. But there are housings/harnesses that will work for it, it’s a question of making sure the backup camera still works. I may have to go with the new Sony system instead of the pioneer because it integrates with backup cameras. But hopefully it’ll work. The JBL speakers in my RAV are good though.
The Avalon is an 04 btw.
Try the Alpine!
I have CarPlay in 2 cars I drive. Using it with my iPhone is a better experience than not having it. That being said it needs a lot of work, can be buggy, and after being out for around 3 years it should be more refined and functional. Also, the number of available apps is disappointing at this point, especially the lack of a compatible Sirius app. Definitely will not buy another new car that lacks CarPlay.
Ford was my largest customer for the last 20 years of my career – so I have driven Ford vehicles for at least that long. I recently switched jobs, and now GM is my largest customer … so I traded in my C-max and bought a Volt in early December.
I agree that it is a far better experience than not having it. I even think that Apple Maps is far superior to the built in Navigation that was in my C-max – Apple Maps is watching for delays ahead, and readily provides alternate routes.
I also agree with you that the lack of APPs for CarPlay is very disappointing – I use a WiFi based garage door opener at my house, it would be nice to have access to that APP for instance on CarPlay. I understand Apple’s desire to keep my eyes off of the dash display, but what’s resulting is even more dangerous, as I need to fumble around to get my iPhone out of the storage bin, while still connected to a USB-Lightning tether, get the iPhone to wake up from the CarPlay coma it goes into, flip through apps until I find the garage door opener, and finally open the door. If that app was on the CarPlay home screen, it would be easier, more convenient and much safer!
I understand your complaint, but it’s really not apple’s fault that your garage door manufacturer didn’t make a CarPlay app. All you have to do is flip a switch in Xcode to enable it, it’s really not a big deal. Don’t blame apple for genie or whoever not spending an extra couple hours compiling an extra version. It’s the same bullshit amazon is pulling with prime video, they have an amazon shopping app on Apple TV, and a video app on iOS (which can be streamed to Apple TV via airplay) but refuse to flip a goddamned switch to turn on tvOS compatibility because of their own devices ineptitude in the market. Apple created the open app market for their platform, it’s up to the developers to create the apps, and not their fault when a company decides not to or whatever reason. You don’t see people blaming microsoft or google for not having Windows phone apps or android apps from x company do you?
Are you actually blaming Amazon for taking a page out of Apple’s playbook to make a core service practically exclusive to its own products?
Consortiums were made to undermine ApplePay too…
Wait until they find out the Apple and Alphabet won’t supply apps/links for their respective phones.
Well from their vantage point you can understand the terror of allowing Apple & Google into “their space,” much as the cable companies and networks fear. But, “resistance is futile.”
Problem is car manufacturers are as savvy and forward thinking with nav/computer/audio/video car technology as Kodak was with 70’s consumer products. Car manufacturers previous focus was “what’s the best way to incorporate the most backward, clueless, clunky, buggy, unappealing and lackluster car systems that unexcite the consumer?” Audio cassette options were available for far… too… long.
Well, it was theirs (the car companies) to lose …and it looks like they will lose it. They simply lack the DNA to do this dirt of thing.
It is easier for Apple to build a car than for old-world car companies to compete in the technology field.
Talk about audio cassette options staying too long… why on earth does anyone need CD players in cars these days? Show of hands… How many still use the CD player in their car?
I was going to say CD too (and agree) but there are no doubt a few CD die-hards left out there. Probably not enough to justify keeping it though.
To be honest I have not tried Sync 3, but I have had all the past Sync’s in my Ford’s and I HATE the system. The number one complaint from consumers, prior to Sync 3, is Sync in all its renditions starting with the colossal failure of MS/Sync in 20011. I believe that Sync 3 is the first rendition to be able to recognize CarPlay and I haven’t heard of any “major” difficulties. Being able to use voice commands to change your automobile’s Sync to me is the only way to go. Anything is better than Sync. The best system I have seen is the one that Honda had several years ago. It was flawless.
I have a 2011 Ford Escape and Ford Sync is the most frustrating part of my daily driving experience. I have never cursed and any pice of tech as much as this POS. Auto companies need to just leave a hole in the dash with a universal connector, then we as consumers can pick what we want put in that hole.
I HATED the MyFord StYNC system!
People constantly complained they couldn’t hear me while using the handsfree calling.
The 12 steps you had to jump through to get voice commands to find a location for navigation were ridiculous! WHEN you get it to recognize what you were saying!!
HEY SIRI on CarPlay is much nicer!
I’ve yet to come across a system in a vehicle that could come close to CarPlay for ease-of-use. Having had the unfortunate experience of trying to use a Toyota (2014 model) and a Ford Sync system recently, I can only conclude that both systems were designed by inept chimpanzees. Then a week ago a friend visited with a rented Honda and when I got in the car I discovered it had CarPlay. With both of us having never used it we had tunes playing in the car in less than 30 seconds. It was simply elegant to setup and the interface was familiar and friendly.
This will be the MCX consortium of car software.
Toyota’s infotainment system in the new Prius is crap. I’m constantly having to reset Bluetooth on my phone to get it to connect properly. It resets the navigation settings with every update. It forgets what I was playing last time. It doesn’t always connect my phone. Their so called apps are pointless.
So someone tell me why Toyota still insists on having their own system when CarPlay is clearly superior.
Control…
Hmm. Maybe the consortium can design a race car. And it will come out looking like a Pontiac Aztek.
Existing solutions from all car systems are notoriously bad. Ford’s Sync is perhaps one the worst. The smart auto companies are realizing that integration with the owner’s phone is a desired feature. Apple’s Car Play and Google’s copy… Android Auto are solutions to that problem. There is no need for an open consortium that doesn’t fully leverage the benefits of the native phone solution.
As others have mentioned, when I go to purchase my next car (within the 12 months), I’m going to ask if it supports CarPlay. If it doesn’t, I’m letting them know that in 2017, that’s a deal breaker and moving on. Fortunately, there are many good choices that do support CarPlay.
Sounds like CurrentC all over again.
Ford is tone deaf when it comes to designing a functional in-car system. My Touch was horrendous; Sync 3 still has software bugs. Ford has been very slow to install Carplay in its 2016 models, even though a year ago “late Spring/Early Summer” was the projected debut. Of course, Ford Sync reps are clueless about what is going on. And to think Ford now wants to develop its own system…. “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over yet expecting a different outcome”.
In my Toyota 86 I installed a pioneer head unit to run CarPlay. I have siNce moved to a new Camry that has a head unit that cannot be upgraded as it is integrated with a number of systems in the car, as well as not being limited to the standard double din size. At first I missed CarPlay, however not now. The Toyota system isn’t brilliant, but then again neither is CarPlay. The only thing I used CarPlay for was maps which is very reliable here in Australia, when I could be bothered to plug it in, it’s also simpler to add addresses into. I have added a simple cup holder phone bracket in the centre console and can still use Siri and maps, with my Apple Watch. My music comes from an iPod nano hooked up directly into the Toyota head unit tucked away in the centre console. The car hase a brilliant sound system made by JBL. All said CarPlay isn’t brilliant. Over the two years I had access to it, I mostly used it for maps. It was buggy, and in no way essential. Toyota’s current system isn’t perfect either, but at least I can get into my car, start it and not need to plug my iPhone in to use it.
Seems Ford at least has given way to a Tech company, Amazon to be specific and will be using Alexa in their new system according to CNN.
http://www.manufacturing.net/videos/2017/01/amazons-echo-coming-ford-cars?abm_pos=7&abm_adtype=freeform_ad&abm_type=na&abm_adcategory=house&et_cid=5770012&et_rid=652332033&linkid=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.manufacturing.net%2Fvideos%2F2017%2F01%2Famazons-echo-coming-ford-cars%3Fabm_pos%3D7%26abm_adtype%3Dfreeform_ad%26abm_type%3Dna%26abm_adcategory%3Dhouse