Market research projects 30M+ sales of Android Auto, Apple CarPlay by 2020

IHS Automotive has released a market report covering more than 4,000 vehicle owners planning to buy a new car about the apps they would want in their new purchase. Music was the third most popular app category for use in vehicles, securing 38% of respondents’ interest. The report also included forecasts for three of the primary digital dashboard systems: Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and MirrorLink. Continue Reading

Apple CarPlay to roll out in 40 car models this year; FM up to automaker

At it’s Spring Forward event, Apple announced that its connected car solution will appear in more than 40 new car models this year. The CarPlay software turns over a vehicle’s digital dashboard to a simplified version of iOS 8 so that the driver can use voice or touch controls to access navigation, phone calls and messages, and music while on the road. Continue Reading

Survey shows preference for built-in connected car systems, but more education is needed

A new poll from Harris Interactive detailed the knowledge and preferences of prospective vehicle buyers about connected cars. Among those who were at least somewhat interested in owning a connected vehicle, 65 percent said they would prefer to have a built-in system. That’s good news for the projects currently in the works at the tech leaders, such as Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto, because they’ll have a leg up in buyer interest. Continue Reading

Google’s Android Auto: “Look What I Can Do!”

Roger Lanctot is Associate Director of Strategy Analytics, and a thought leader in the connected-car space. He is an influential voice in the field of automotive infotainment systems, and safety, in cars of the present and future. In this article, Roger Lanctot questions whether Google’s Android Auto initiative is ready for primetime. Do Google and Apple suffer from attention deficit disorder? Continue Reading

Apple CarPlay adds new automaker partnerships

In the claim and counter-claim of the connected car frontier, the land grab has escalated from digital services planting flags on digital dashboards to broad technology platforms largely defining the operating systems of driving. In other words, Apple and Google are belting it out for dominance, just as they are with smartphones and tablets. The car is becoming a consumer electronics device.

In its the latest parry, Apple has announced nine new automakers to sign on with Apple’s dashboard OS, called CarPlay. Google is making its own news with Android Auto. Continue Reading

Audi announces HD and Internet audio in 2015 cars

Audi, which recently replaced BMW as the top-selling premium car company, has included HD Radio as standard equipment in the 2015 Audio A3, which is appearing in dealer lots now. At the same time, an announcement comes from Audi that it is adopting CarPlay, Apple’s digital-dashboard operating system. Specific car models are not identified, but at least some 2015 models will have CarPlay. Continue Reading

Internet Radio Rewind: #002

Welcome to Internet Radio REWIND, an audio recap of the week. This weekly program is a quick and concise catch-up of the week’s top stories. Click the Play button, refresh your neurons, and be ready for the coming week. This week: CarPlay comes out to play; a field day for earnings; Samsung spills its marketing for Milk; the Electronic Frontier Foundation tries to rescue podcasting; and a birthday of the man who probably didn’t invent radio. Continue Reading