Mercedes-Benz's New MBUX System Will Feature Wireless CarPlay

[MacRumors]

Mercedes-Benz has confirmed that its new MBUX infotainment system will feature support for wireless CarPlay in future vehicles.

The all-new 2019 A-Class will be Mercedes-Benz's first vehicle equipped with the MBUX system when it goes on sale later this year, according to a spokesperson for the automaker's parent company Daimler in Germany. Wireless CarPlay will expand to other new Mercedes-Benz vehicles in 2019, the spokesperson told MacRumors.

The automaker previously announced that the 2019 A-Class will be available in a sedan model in the United States, while a hatchback version will also be sold in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and select other regions. The spokesperson said wireless CarPlay will be available in all of those markets.

A spokesperson for Mercedes-Benz in the United States declined to comment on MBUX's wireless capabilities until midsummer. It's still early, so it's possible the company's exact vehicle and market rollout of wireless CarPlay could change.

Barring announcements from other automakers, Mercedes-Benz will likely become the second to offer vehicles with wireless CarPlay functionality, after BMW rolled out the feature starting with its 2017 5 Series a few years ago. Apple first introduced wireless CarPlay in 2015 alongside iOS 9.

Alpine Electronics also offers an aftermarket infotainment system with wireless CarPlay for self-installations in other vehicles.

Every other automaker that offers CarPlay currently uses a wired implementation that requires connecting the iPhone to the system with a Lightning to USB cable. The platform is available in well over 300 vehicle models, and it's generally considered to be a highly desired feature with strong customer satisfaction.

Article Link: Mercedes-Benz's New MBUX System Will Feature Wireless CarPlay

 

[RickInHouston]

Mercedes Benz is working hard to make Android Auto and he applecar thing irrelevant. And they are getting it done. Mercedes' OS is really maturing.

 

[randyhudson]

Looking forward to the annual subscription to use my phone in my car

 

[IJ Reilly]

MBUX. Since this is Mercedes we're talking about, does this acronym translate as "maximum bucks"?

 

[iosuser]

As cool as the current digital instrument clusters are on the European cars, I prefer an actual analog gauge, with a supplemental center LCD screen. Call me old school but I just prefer an actual needle in the actual 3D world, not a 2D approximation of a needle lol.

 

[entropys]

As cool as the current digital instrument clusters are on the European cars, I prefer an actual analog gauge, with a supplemental center LCD screen. Call me old school but I just prefer an actual needle in the actual 3D world, not a 2D approximation of a needle lol.

From the car manufacturer’s perspective an old fashioned gauge is too reliable, and if it broke down they can’t charge much for the rather basic parts. An LCD screen on the other hand...
The flip side is some iterations you can choose the layout.
[doublepost=1525461656][/doublepost]What I find really annoying is wireless android auto only came out last year and Kenwood has six head units equipped with it, without including wireless CarPlay? Why did that happen? Stupid licensing costs by Apple perhaps? Like HomeKit all over again.

 

[goobot]

Im really looking forward to the article that tells us why wireless CarPlay is lagging behind so much for apparently no reason.

 

[Attirex]

So Cal plastic surgeons on MR forums debate Merc vs BMW in 3...2......

 

[compete12]

As cool as the current digital instrument clusters are on the European cars, I prefer an actual analog gauge, with a supplemental center LCD screen. Call me old school but I just prefer an actual needle in the actual 3D world, not a 2D approximation of a needle lol.

Bully for you.

 

[Oblivious.Robot]

I really dig the 2018 A Class interiors! As long as next gen CLA gets the same tech or more, with mini-CLS body, I'm sold!

 

[KiwiAdventure]

BMW has had Wireless CarPlay option in their cars for over a year.

 

[BeatCrazy]

BMW has had Wireless CarPlay option in their cars for over a year.

Yep, I have it in mine. MR, please update the article!

BTW this is a terrific feature. Combined with wireless charging, it's really a top-notch experience for iPhone X + BMW.

 

[ghostface147]

I have a car with CarPlay (2018 Accord Sport) and I have to say CarPlay is..........not really used. If it was wireless, it'd get substantially more use.

 

[geenosr]

I can tell you that wireless CarPlay is awesome! I installed the Alpine unit in my truck last year, and it's great to leave my phone in my pocket, or just not worry about a wire (unless I need a charge). It was a little sticky to get started, but now it works like Apple stuff should work-----without worries!

 

[mattopotamus]

Mercedes Benz is working hard to make Android Auto and he applecar thing irrelevant. And they are getting it done. Mercedes' OS is really maturing.

That is how I feel about most of the luxury brand Car OS's. They have come a long way and are better than CarPlay/Android Auto.

They look better, typically have a HUD, and integrate with the rest of the cars features.

CarPlay really shines on the middle-class cars where the car interface seems like an afterthought.
[doublepost=1525466391][/doublepost]

I can tell you that wireless CarPlay is awesome! I installed the Alpine unit in my truck last year, and it's great to leave my phone in my pocket, or just not worry about a wire (unless I need a charge). It was a little sticky to get started, but now it works like Apple stuff should work-----without worries!

Am I going crazy here? I thought wireless carplay still had a "dock". Like there was a wireless dock you still had to place your phone on for it to work?

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

So Cal plastic surgeons on MR forums debate Merc vs BMW in 3...2......

Why would anyone talk about either company? Neither has had a relevant car in over a decade.

Tesla Model S has been crushing the S-Class and 7-Series since 2015. Since 2016, Model S sales have exceeded the other two combined.

Tesla Model 3 is already crushing the 3-Series as of April and is on track to crush the C-Class this month.

 

[bananataffy]

Why would anyone talk about either company? Neither has had a relevant car in over a decade.

Tesla Model S has been crushing the S-Class and 7-Series since 2015. Since 2016, Model S sales have exceeded the other two combined.

Tesla Model 3 is already crushing the 3-Series as of April and is on track to crush the C-Class this month.

As a reservation-holder for the Tesla Model 3 (and a huge Tesla fan in general), I have to say this new Mercedes A-Class hatchback is the first car in the same price range which is seriously making me reconsider pulling the trigger on the Model 3. Definitely an Apples & Oranges comparison, since the Model 3 is fully electric and the Merc A-Class isn't even a hybrid...but the latter is IMO not only sexy, it has an interior that blows away the Tesla.

 

[Juicy Box]

Am I going crazy here? I thought wireless carplay still had a "dock". Like there was a wireless dock you still had to place your phone on for it to work?

I have never heard of this. I don't think this is right.

 

[ActionableMango]

Why would anyone talk about either company?

Why are we talking about the Merc and BMW? They have Wireless CarPlay, which is the topic of this thread.

So the better question is why are you bragging about Tesla sales numbers on an Apple forum in a thread about Wireless CarPlay?
[doublepost=1525479372][/doublepost]

Am I going crazy here? I thought wireless carplay still had a "dock". Like there was a wireless dock you still had to place your phone on for it to work?

No, it doesn't require a dock.

In fact, I can't make any sense of what you are picturing. Why would a dock be wireless? What is the dock doing if it doesn't have a wire connected to it?

So I am not a doctor, but yes, you are indeed going crazy.

 

[lec0rsaire]

I was really disappointed that CarPlay wasn't in the damn W205 at launch. It was even shown off in the promo videos but they didn't add the damn thing until MY 2018 and even then it's either CarPlay or command and command is really a must have in any Mercedes. I would never buy one without it.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

As a reservation-holder for the Tesla Model 3 (and a huge Tesla fan in general), I have to say this new Mercedes A-Class hatchback is the first car in the same price range which is seriously making me reconsider pulling the trigger on the Model 3. Definitely an Apples & Oranges comparison, since the Model 3 is fully electric and the Merc A-Class isn't even a hybrid...but the latter is IMO not only sexy, it has an interior that blows away the Tesla.

Basically comparing a gilded wagon to an actual car. The interior kind of reminds me of a Los Vegas bathroom. The toilet was gold, but it was still a toilet, and it made you wonder why more than anything else.

 

[lec0rsaire]

Why would anyone talk about either company? Neither has had a relevant car in over a decade.

Tesla Model S has been crushing the S-Class and 7-Series since 2015. Since 2016, Model S sales have exceeded the other two combined.

Tesla Model 3 is already crushing the 3-Series as of April and is on track to crush the C-Class this month.

The Model S is a great car but it's more like a Panamera than S-class. The S-class has more luxurious options and interior space that the Model S can't match. It's also limited by it's range. It's no good for long-distance travel just your average daily commute. Only a little over 23k Model 3s have been produced. Tesla has pretty serious liquidity problems and the company may not even exist in a few years unless they can fulfill all of the outstanding Model 3 orders. Musk has been able to raise money before under pressure but they've really been burning through cash like crazy and wasting money on buggy automation instead just having humans build the damn things.
[doublepost=1525484736][/doublepost]In addition except for the halo Tesla Roadster and the Model S, Teslas are pretty ugly. The popularity of the Model 3 is really more about owning something from Tesla which until now was out of reach for a lot of Elon's fans. It's definitely prettier than a Prius for sure, but not an A4, 3 series or C-Class.

On a sidenote, this MBUX is powered by Nvidia which is pretty cool.

 

[rlhamil]

Not sure what the point to wireless CarPlay would be, except for people that only take very short trips; on a multi-hour drive I'd certainly want the phone charging anyway, so might as well have data as well as power going through the wire.

 

[CarpalMac]

As cool as the current digital instrument clusters are on the European cars, I prefer an actual analog gauge, with a supplemental center LCD screen. Call me old school but I just prefer an actual needle in the actual 3D world, not a 2D approximation of a needle lol.

100% agree.

I drove an Audi TT and as mildy amusing as it was to be able to change the screen, there was no satisfaction with the way the screen needles swept. All a bit too PlayStation for my liking.

 

[L-Viz]

Here is the thing. Even current generation Mercedes "COMAND" is superior to lousy car play. Car Play has such a bad design, the resolution, font size, limited information displayed, Apple Maps, ugh ... it is a useless disaster.
I think to would be nice in a 1986 Honda Civic, but current generations of high end german cars just do it better on their own. Wireless Car Play only makes sense for short trips. If your ride is longer than 30 minutes, the battery of your fine thin iPhone will be drained to ZERO.

I haven't seen MBUX yet but it is really promising. If Mercedes voice command works like Alexa and not Siri, then all music and messaging could be controlled in a beautiful safe way.