Some 2018 Lexus Vehicles Eligible for $199 Software Update to Add CarPlay Support

tkukoc said:
"Lexus says that new software will be installed on the Lexus Multimedia System to add the CarPlay feature, and a Lexus dealer is required to install the update."

If they are required to install it then why should anyone pay money for this? Not to mention it's CarPlay.. this should absolutely be universal. Such a scam!
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Required as in "only a dealer can do it", not that the dealer is "obligated to do it".
 
macpro2000 said:
It's pretty sad really. My 2016 RX450h was $66k new and even the new 2019s still don't have CarPlay. Luckily I found a unit that adds it to my system (12.3" screen) without having to deal with the dealership. Took all of 2 hours of my time. If you want reliability, it's obvious you want a Lexus. If you want a fun car with cool new features, look elsewhere (BMW).
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Sounds like the device I was looking at for my 2014 LS. Never owned a car with Car Play but I’d like to have it. Just not willing to upgrade to a new car to get it.
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mateo124 said:
Toyota will forever be stuck with the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” mentality, and quite frankly I don’t know why people tolerate it. Corollas have got to be one of the most boring cars on the market, and the fact it took them as long as they did to add CarPlay shows they’re scared to try new things. The Corolla hatchback is a breath of fresh air, which offers technology such as direct injection and CarPlay. But it just doesn’t make sense to say they’re the most reliable and highest quality in the business when they’re still dishing out 2010 tech.
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Wouldn’t mind newer tech but I like Toyota staying with the mindset of not upgrading a lot of new stuff. Creates less problems in reliability.
 
Lol. People complain about not getting CarPlay retroactively in their car. Car manufacturer gives them the option to do so. They complain about the price. There is no pleasing people.
 
imageWIS said:
If you're buying a modern German luxury car with all it's insane electronics, you're just asking to be deprived of your money. Leasing them is the only intelligent way to go. Plus, one leases depreciating assets, one buys appreciating assets.
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If you buy a car and then keep it for 10-12 years you’ll likely come out ahead of someone who leased. Leasing just means committing to having a car payment forever. If you buy, you can not only go years without a car payment, but actually own something of value to trade for your next car. And if someone is tying to be financially savvy, they’ll buy a used car rather than lease one anyway.

As far as Toyota/Lexus goes, it took them long enough to get on the CarPlay train.
 
100RNR said:
Required as in "only a dealer can do it", not that the dealer is "obligated to do it".
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Incorrect, this can be installed without a dealer. Just need knowledge of how the system works.. it's actually extremely easy to do. 199.99 is absurb!
 
ross7777 said:
Lexus Corporate is suggesting the dealer should charge $199 msrp. The actual software is free to the dealer from Lexus. The only reason I can see for them to charge is to cover the hour of labor it takes to install.
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It’s the dealer deciding to charge, not Lexus. There is no license fee from Apple to the dealer.
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A one time fee is okay, albeit a little steep. But the BMW $300 annual subscription is just ludicrous.
 
truthertech said:
There is no license fee for the manufacturers to have CarPlay.
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What's your source for a licensing fee? Unless it is something new, car companies don't pay a licensing fee to have CarPlay. As a matter of fact, getting CarPlay in cars is so important to Apple that they spend money working with the car manufacturers to help them with integrating CarPlay.
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I didn't have a source. If what you say is true, I guess I was wrong. I presumed. My apologies.

Having said that, what reason do this manufacturers have to NOT include something like this in their systems today? As I mentioned in a previous post, you can get brand name units for under $300. Seems odd to not use free software that is better than what you make in house. Meanwhile BMW is trying to charge a yearly usage fee?
 
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sdilley14 said:
Of course they wouldn't offer this in the IS model - the only Lexus I'm interested in buying.
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Oh your in for a lot more than 199. I have now had two Lexus' a 2015 IS and a 2017 GS350 F Sport. Both "loaded" Both with the worst user interface on the planet. Lexus is in the business of ass ****ing their customers. Case in point, my car comes with a remote start that they charge you $350.00 per year to use after the first year. I will never own another one.
 
People complaining about the fee... I remember when Apple used to charge for iOS updates (for iPod Touch only?). Anyone else remember this? Seems so strange now.
 
lordofthereef said:
I didn't have a source. If what you say is true, I guess I was wrong. I presumed. My apologies.

Having said that, what reason do this manufacturers have to NOT include something like this in their systems today? As I mentioned in a previous post, you can get brand name units for under $300. Seems odd to not use free software that is better than what you make in house. Meanwhile BMW is trying to charge a yearly usage fee?
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They still have to do work to make sure it is integrated in the system software to allow control of the affected systems, so they have to put in some effort, usually a new larger screen, so most have waited until new models roll out. Also, it meant giving up on having control over that aspect of the customer relationship and information, (sound familiar with Apple Pay??), e.g., Toyota spent a lot of time and effort to make their Entune system the hub. Entune was horribly poorly designed, but they Toyota only reluctantly gave up on it in the last year or two and allowed CarPlay. Google wanted more information then Toyota was willing to let them suck off the car systems, so they didn't allow Android when they approved CarPlay, but it appears they may have worked that out.
 
ipedro said:
This is why Tesla is going to eat every traditional car manufacturer’s lunch. They think and operate like a tech company where free updates improve the existing hardware. This is what people have come to expect and Lexus, BMW and others haven’t been paying attention.
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Exactly, I got my Model 3 in June last year and have received 23 updates for free since then. A lot of the updates even added significant new features. I will never buy a car from a company that is not continually improving its software.
 
mrongey said:
I'm not sure which is more ridiculous - how few new cars have CarPlay after five years or how bad most other car interfaces are. I bought an Impreza instead of a Crosstrek largely to get CarPlay.
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Want to talk about ridiculous? Lets talk about how Subaru (up until 2019 and only some models) doesn't have auto lock/unlock on it's car doors. I have a 2006 Ford Crown Vic. Auto lock and unlock.

Please explain that.
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ipedro said:
This is why Tesla is going to eat every traditional car manufacturer’s lunch. They think and operate like a tech company where free updates improve the existing hardware. This is what people have come to expect and Lexus, BMW and others haven’t been paying attention.
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Not sure you've been keeping up with the new lately but Tesla can't even afford to eat its own lunch. Tesla isn't a mainstream car. It's a "luxury" brand. It still has huge growing pains to get through before it becomes mainstream. You can keep peddling all that nonsense but it's not going to help. As a tech company, they're great. As a car company, they suck.

I wouldn't own a Tesla if you gave me one.
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JoJack82 said:
Exactly, I got my Model 3 in June last year and have received 23 updates for free since then. A lot of the updates even added significant new features. I will never buy a car from a company that is not continually improving its software.
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Thanks for being a beta tester! :)
 
ipedro said:
This is why Tesla is going to eat every traditional car manufacturer’s lunch. They think and operate like a tech company where free updates improve the existing hardware. This is what people have come to expect and Lexus, BMW and others haven’t been paying attention.
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If they manage to stay in business in the next year.

https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/17/18629166/elon-musk-tesla-money-changes-cfo-employee-expenses

I think they won't go away, but they will change fundamentally as a company or be acquired.

Let's not forget, they are not without issues of their own
 
I called my Lexus dealer. They knew nothing about this and told me to call the service dept.

I called service, and they knew nothing about it. They told me to call the dealer.

I called dealer again, and they told me the update had been recalled.
 
kevmclane said:
Typical overpriced luxury tricks. A few years ago I upgraded my then 2016 Ford to support CarPlay with a simple $70 part which you can buy today for only $30...
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What part is that? I'm in the market for something like that. Thnx
 
JoJack82 said:
Exactly, I got my Model 3 in June last year and have received 23 updates for free since then. A lot of the updates even added significant new features. I will never buy a car from a company that is not continually improving its software.
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So you're saying you bought a car that didn't perform on day one; but you're happy the company you gave money to got around to it eventually via a software patch/update? Boy, you're a winner.
 
WatchFromAfar said:
So you're saying you bought a car that didn't perform on day one; but you're happy the company you gave money to got around to it eventually via a software patch/update? Boy, you're a winner.
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Yeah no, you clearly didn't read what he said. He was happy with the features he had already when he purchased the car. (Much like an iPhone with say iOS 12), but is happy new software has improved the experience he was already happy with (mush like an iOS update to iOS 13 and so on). Think before you post.
 
I'm sure the car manufacturers had long discussions a couple years ago in collab about how to go about "utilizing" this upgrade path.

I'm wondering if this can flashed, especially if it's just done through a dongle. Does anyone know about this? Maybe that would be possible for Android Auto, but not Car Play?

Would be free and easy to do, if you could just download the software onto a stick, and then plug and flash software to replace, or add on to your existing interface. No dealer hassle, or cost.
 
We want everything for free from everyone except Apple, but paying $1500 for an iPhone. Lexus IS an independent company than Apple. To sell you a product of Apple in the car, they will need to charge you to sell that update to you. It is not a scam, it’s called business. They’re not in charity business
 
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