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Mercedes-Benz Shares Full Lineup of 2016 U.S. CarPlay Vehicles
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Mercedes Benz you piece of ****. I bought C-Class for $80k after you presented CarPlay for W205 in March 2014, thinking that I'm buying a CarPlay compatible car. You morons said C-Class will be the first car with CarPlay. F#cking liars.
Should have done your research. They did exactly what they said. Winter 2015.
It is compatible, for new vehicles, with it installed.
You bought too early; jumped the gun. Mercedes upgrades their vehicles like clockwork.
The refreshed 2017 GLS coming in March 2016 will also offer CarPlay. The Dealer Ordering Guide for the GLS was released December 4, 2015 and CarPlay is listed under the Premium Package 1.
What? No G-Class or S-Class integration?
My iDrive already has Bluetooth and iTunes integration. At the end of the day, Apple Maps is terrible. A lot of the newer high end cars have Google Maps integration (far superior to Apple Maps). I'm not sure CarPlay is really that amazing of a feature on higher end vehicles. I suppose the good thing is it creates the opportunity for the infotainment to be updated to some extent. The electronics in automobiles lag years behind probably due to the years it takes to design a vehicle.
I've used BMW iDrive, Audi MMI, and Mercedes COMMAND. I can tell you BMW continues to have the best software, interference, and ergonomics than any other brand. COMMAND is by far the worse. You're better off with almost anything other manufacturer.
At the end of the day, I think you just get acclimated to whatever you have. Even my father, one of the least tech savvy people I know mostly figured out iDrive. My mom recently bought an Audi Allroad- I think the learning curve will be steep. She previously had Volvo's Sensus (barely, as her XC70 was a lemon) and prior to that a very basic Lexus interface.
That said, there's nothing worse than a touch screen on the dashboard IMO. With no tacticle feedback and accuracy problems while boucing down the road (not to mention the inherent low capacitance in my fingers), buttons and knobs are practical. I especially loath when simple functions get unnecessarily put into the touch screens i.e. heated seat controls in the newer Jeep GC's. My mom's old Lexus had buttons for all the HVAC except fan speed, which makes no sense. I'm not sure what these companies are thinking. With BMWs inception of iDrive long ago, they learned very quickly that people want to control many functions quickly and easily and have progressively added more buttons back over the years.
I'm not a fan Cue (Cadillac) which incorporates touch buttons with tactile feedback, just seems ridiculous. The interface however isn't too bad.
My iDrive already has Bluetooth and iTunes integration. At the end of the day, Apple Maps is terrible. A lot of the newer high end cars have Google Maps integration (far superior to Apple Maps). I'm not sure CarPlay is really that amazing of a feature on higher end vehicles. I suppose the good thing is it creates the opportunity for the infotainment to be updated to some extent. The electronics in automobiles lag years behind probably due to the years it takes to design a vehicle.
This seems to be the trend with a lot of manufactures right now. It's called the "tablet" look, though it's not a touch screen in the BMW or Mercedes.
Yeah, I have a 3rd (LCI) generation iDrive in my 535i. I don't think the've released a new cable for Lightening ports that I have seen. I'm stuck using that atrocious 30pin to lightening adaptor. (The 30 pin connector splits off into an audio and USB cable in my car).
I've used BMW iDrive, Audi MMI, and Mercedes COMMAND. I can tell you BMW continues to have the best software, interference, and ergonomics than any other brand. COMMAND is by far the worse. You're better off with almost anything other manufacturer.
At the end of the day, I think you just get acclimated to whatever you have. Even my father, one of the least tech savvy people I know mostly figured out iDrive. My mom recently bought an Audi Allroad- I think the learning curve will be steep. She previously had Volvo's Sensus (barely, as her XC70 was a lemon) and prior to that a very basic Lexus interface.
Honestly, I'd prefer the old days where you have the navigation screen separate from the radio display and such. It's nice to be able to turn off the giant screen when you don't need it. I also don't mind having buttons. IDrive is great, but you can spent way too long fumbling around to preform the simplest of functions.
That said, there's nothing worse than a touch screen on the dashboard IMO. With no tacticle feedback and accuracy problems while boucing down the road (not to mention the inherent low capacitance in my fingers), buttons and knobs are practical. I especially loath when simple functions get unnecessarily put into the touch screens i.e. heated seat controls in the newer Jeep GC's. My mom's old Lexus had buttons for all the HVAC except fan speed, which makes no sense. I'm not sure what these companies are thinking. With BMWs inception of iDrive long ago, they learned very quickly that people want to control many functions quickly and easily and have progressively added more buttons back over the years.
I'm not a fan Cue (Cadillac) which incorporates touch buttons with tactile feedback, just seems ridiculous. The interface however isn't too bad.
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Too early ? Mercedes was presenting a new model, C-Class W205, and during that presentation they've been demoing CarPlay with iPhone 5s, where they explained exactly which button to press to access the freaking CarPlay. So after that I've ordered this brand new f#cking model, which was already obsolete when it was manufactured in their factory. Same story with Camera 360° - you could order it, but the car was delivered without it, without any notice from the factory, like nothing happened. They ****, not do what they say, cuz they said W205 C-Class will be the first MB with CarPlay, so stop that crap Kildraik, you don't have an idea what you're talking about.
Reality check: BMW's iDrive is one of the worst reviewed interfaces on the web so I wouldn't be throwing stones at COMMAND or any other interface for that matter.
Would you like to post a copy of these reviews. I just took the trouble to go online and read three reviews and non of them agree with your assessment.
1st Gen iDrive was a fiasco due lack intuitive gui, but current iDrive is another thing many people find it in easy and powerful (notwithstanding few people here consider it far better than M-B Command I consider both very close and Audi's MMI actually is the best (as on Q7) only behind latest on Volvo's polite XC90.
P
Do you own a BMW? I've had 7 new ones in a row. I'd rate their infotainment system the worst of all manufacturers. VAG Group is far better, lower cost, better quality, a press of the volume button turns it off, and it stays off. My son's Honda put's our BMW's iDrive to shame.
Exactly. To get a decent system, you're forced to buy MB's crap system, then make it redundant with Apple's. Another fail by the Germans who fail to understand user friendly GUI's. Probably does not matter with their customer base that's challenged by the simplest of interfaces and ignores most of it.
You did not spend $80k on a C Class in March 2014... The C63 just came out. If you spent $80k on a C300/400, then you got ripped off
And they delivered right on their promise...
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Should've done your due diligence. Car manufactures make empty promises all the time. Was there an official press release saying the c class would get CarPlay? Hey, at least you can trade in your 80k c class for a 2016 CLA with CarPlay lol.
Exactly. COMMAND is consistently one of the worst out there. None of the updates over the years have improved it.
http://www.carbuyer.co.uk/tips-and-...ainment-systems-ultimate-guide-to-in-car-tech
This was quite a big test. BMW/Audi are in a different league to Mercedes
What are you talking about? iDrive is consistently the best in the biz.
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My 2015 BMW uses the standard Apple cable to connect the USB connector to Lightning on the iPhone.
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Fun fact of the day
Post 10/10 build date BMWs come the Combox module under the seat. That enables the white cable use for iDevices.
Combox also added BT Audio, Album Art support, and office integration (for certain BB/Android phones)
They changed this for MY 2016 and you now have to order option 6NS for $350 to get the office function. But enhanced BT is still standard.
Brian Cooley of CNET has never praised iDrive. He has no dog in the fight either. I get that you like your BMW but to come on a forum about MB supporting CarPlay (a good thing) and bash them is childish. And BTW, why hasn't BMW supported CarPlay yet? That's the question BMW owners should be asking. Because a car running CarPlay will outperform anything BMW, MB, Audi, or any other manufacturer can come with in-house.
Have you ever even used CarPlay?
It's great, but it's still pretty half baked. It doesn't do much yet.
Quite frankly why would you own 7 BMWs if iDrive was the worst? If I'm not mistaken, MMI is considerably more expensive than iDrive- then again it's all negligible depending on what they actually offer.
The old Jeremy Clarkson joke about how difficult it is to turn off iDrive... It's not difficult, especially once you know it, certainly after 7 BMWs. And if you want the easy way out just use voice commands.
For my "reality check" you referred to in your other post, should look beyond CNET. Most reviews out there rank iDrive and MMI as the best from the luxury brands. Overall the Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/Fiat/Maseratti UConnect is supposed to be the best.
I said it before and I'll say it again, I'm not sure what all the fuss is about with CarPlay. It's not bringing a ton of new functionality to the table in higher end cars.
Everyone has their preference, that's fine. But many are still under the impression that iDrive today, is the iDrive that was originally released with the 7er. Of all the premium brands, iDrive gets more favourable reviews over Audi MMI and definitely over Mercedes COMAND. I'm not going to post reviews. Just google it and look for reviews that were done in 2014 and later. If people think iDrive is junk, than MMI and COMAND shouldn't even exist.