Toyota Currently Has No Plans to Support CarPlay or Android Auto in U.S.

[dampfnudel]

Unfortunately customer demand isn't that dedicated nor coercive. Customer's will complain for all of a second (or not at all) and then buy the car anyway and they clearly know this. I think it is safe to assume Toyota isn't supporting this because no other car companies are either. It is clear they have had their back room meeting on this.

What car company is releasing a car with Car Play in it this year? How many of their cars will have it as an option?

That's what I think. If Honda/Acura, Nissan/Infiniti, Hyundai and the others were introducing vehicles this year that supported CarPlay and Android Auto, you can be sure Toyota/Lexus would do the same. In other words, if you really want CarPlay or Android Auto in your next vehicle, you probably should avoid most 2015 models and maybe even some 2016 models, depending on long auto companies drag their feet on this. Either wait or go aftermarket with Alpine, Pioneer, etc.

 

[rei101]

But why do you want car play in a car? Plug your iPhone and that is it. there you have your music on line, gps and that is it.

 

[timborama]

Good for Toyota. One less "Apple Tax"! I'll be sticking with Toyota/Lexus.

 

[redpandadev]

I'm in the market for a new car in the next 2-3 years. Whether or not it supports CarPlay will be a significant factor in the decision process. I'm sure I'm not the only one - the market will speak.

 

[doelcm82]

There's nothing special or great about Toyota (or Honda) vehicles. Bland and overrated.

When someone you know has similar tastes to you calls something "overrated", it can mean that you are likely to be disappointed.

When someone you don't know calls something "overrated", it just means "most people like this thing more than I do.

I know it's not meant as a recommendation, but coming from a stranger, I take it as a reason I should check it out. After all, what's a better predictor of whether something is good, a single stranger who doesn't like it, or a bunch of strangers who do?

 

[Xenomorph]

After getting all excited about my car's system... and then realizing how limited it is (MyFord Touch), I'm pretty sure that any future car purchase I make MUST be iOS CarPlay or Android compatible.

 

[akadmon]

There are only two kinds of people who buy Toyotas:

1. people who can't afford a proper car
2. members or ISIS and Al Shabab​

 

[normanfox]

Uh oh. Not good for Lexus. I'm loving my CT-H and have had several IS's over the past few years. The iPod interface and GPS UI is serviceable but could use a CarPlay makeover.

I am researching for my next car, between Lexus IS250 and Audi A3/A4. I was leaning toward Lexus for its reliability. Now I don't know anymore. their infotainment system is horrible.

If audi can improve their reliability and has carplay, Lexus is off my list.

 

[rezenclowd3]

I think you may the only one who read this news as "Toyota won't be putting any kind of touch screens in their cars."

Never said such a thing so why would you assume that? Read it for what it is, that is all.

----------

There are only two kinds of people who buy Toyotas:

1. people who can't afford a proper car
2. members or ISIS and Al Shabab​

Hmm, there is no definition of "proper car."

BTW Look up Toyota 2000GT, and then off to look up the TS030.

 

[69Mustang]

So you would rather buy a car based on infotainment? What ever happened to drivability, reliability, safety and value? The goofy stereo and hvac controls are the last thing on my mind. I don't plan on using those features every 5 minutes during my route.

I agree. The idea that the infotainment module is driving car sales is about as asinine as an idea can get. What we have is a group of tech nerds talking about a subject they know little about so they apply their tech preconceptions to the automotive world with hilariously flawed logic.

I think you're in the minority there. We buy PCs for the software they can run, not the speed at which they can run it. Cars are no different. I can honestly say I've never needed pickup in my Prius any faster than it already is but I use my iPhone and cupholders every single day.

And every car is the same in terms of basic performance when you compare hybrids to hybrids, EV to EV and combustion to combustion. Right now the only true differentiator will be does it support CaPlay or not?

On what planet is cdm's quote considered a minority point of view. Definitely not earth. The vast majority of people the world over buy cars for the exact reason cdm listed. Serious question. How is it that you replied to a quote about reliabilty, safety, and value with some totally unrelated speed analogy?

Carplay support is the only true differentiator now? That statement is about as sad as the 'Muricans on Twitter complaining about a Puerto Rican winning the lottery because they thought Puerto Ricans weren't American.

 

[Robert.Walter]

This reminds me of Verizon not going along with the whole iPhone thing in early 2007 and letting AT&T have that luxury until 2011. Not sure that was the best idea...

NTT Docomo in Japan refused to go along with iPhone, famously saying smth like IPhone is a fad, or Apple can't dictate to us what bloatware we can't install ... Kept up this attitude too until the constant bleeding of customers caused that CEO to cave.

 

[AppleBrick]

"we prefer to use our in-house proprietary platforms"

Clearly not thinking about what the consumer wants.

Exactly what I thought. I was waiting to buy a Toyota Prius V in 2015 to get the CarPlay. I guess I will wait to see what Apple has in its sleeve.

 

[Robert.Walter]

Just last week I replaced my Toyota Prius C radio with the Pioneer AVH-4000NEX as the entune software is horrible. $900 later, I'm extremely satisfied and frustrated Toyota thinks their software is good.

And in this way Toyota does a disservice to its customers. Giving them the he choice of a lousy OEM interface or having to pay a grand more for an upgrade to a CarPlay UI.

 

[AlecZ]

Toyotas are quality machines.

No, Toyota handling is so bad that it's scary. Honda's much better. Even the Lexus SUVs drive like garbage.

The Honda entertainment is also as good as it gets for something simple. Just one big button for every input with volume and skip knobs on the console and buttons on the steering wheel. Totally eyes-free. Of course, every car manufacturer touch screen system sucks. The best navigation system I've ever seen was on the 2000 Jaguar XKR, haha.

 

[SusanK]

This reminds me of Verizon not going along with the whole iPhone thing in early 2007 and letting AT&T have that luxury until 2011. Not sure that was the best idea...

Verizon was anti-Apple in every way. At one time the online account could not be accessed on a Mac.

 

[69Mustang]

I am researching for my next car, between Lexus IS250 and Audi A3/A4. I was leaning toward Lexus for its reliability. Now I don't know anymore. their infotainment system is horrible.

If audi can improve their reliability and has carplay, Lexus is off my list.

Please tell me you're not seriously making a $30-45K decision based on CarPlay. Even if you are, please just tell me you aren't.

Bolded from your quote and totally off topic: Audi will never improve their reliability The electronics are schizophrenic. I drive an A5. Buying an Audi, BMW, or Merc implicitly means you understand the relationship with your mechanic will be a long and prosperous one... for the mechanic. I wanted another Audi this year but none of the models I want are manual (US). They're all autos or paddle shift, and I am a 3 pedal rower.

 

[SusanK]

And when will everyone else realize touch screens and infotainment screens in general are dangerous in cars.

Good to see someone else with this concern. Thought I was the only one. Thanks

 

[coolfactor]

So you would rather buy a car based on infotainment? What ever happened to drivability, reliability, safety and value? The goofy stereo and hvac controls are the last thing on my mind. I don't plan on using those features every 5 minutes during my route.

This is about leadership decisions. If the leadership of Toyota can not see where the puck is going to be, and chooses to focus on where the puck currently is, then how can we, as consumers, put our trust into the company?

I watched a demo of the Entune 2015 system on YouTube today and, while very responsive (more so than the CarPlay demos that I've seen), the overall visual design and user interaction of Entune is very, very poor. It does not set a very high bar in these regards.

 

[rdlink]

Oh, the horror. Consumer preference is forcing car manufacturers to admit they need to let CarPlay and Android Auto into their systems. How dare the customers want a decent UI in their $35,000+ car.

I can tell you right now that a large part of any decision I make about my next car will be based on whether:

A. They support CarPlay; or
B. I can put an aftermarket unit in that supports CarPlay and looks good and works well.

An earlier poster said quite accurately that the car manufacturers really suck at this, and they would be well served to just get the Hell out of the way and let Apple do it.

 

[sjinsjca]

"'We may all eventually wind up there, but right now we prefer to use our in-house proprietary platforms for those kinds of functions,' Mr. Hanson said."

...Well, we've probably bought our last Toyota then, as their current system is infuriating, clunky, distracting, slow, awkward and ugly. Our latest (and probably last) is a 2014. I can forgive our prior 2006 model, and I can forgive that one for its pre-iDevice kludginess, but there has been zero progress since then.

Toyota is incredibly blind if they feel their platform can compete into the future. Its poor design and execution is a near deal-killer even today.

 

[Rudy69]

I bought a 2015 Honda Fit and the built in system really really sucks. Honda has shown Carplay using the same hardware so I would hope they'll release an update to make it compatible (I would be willing to pay for it) but somehow I doubt they will, I think they'll just make it a feature for the 2016 model.

I just hope the 2016's unit will be similar enough that I can fit it in the older model (I'm not buying a new car for Carplay)

 

[Soccertess]

I bought a 2015 Honda Fit and the built in system really really sucks. Honda has shown Carplay using the same hardware so I would hope they'll release an update to make it compatible...

It's a car company, NO update my friend.....

This is why tech companies need to enter into these markets, and why we need more companies like Tesla to enter.........

 

[AlecZ]

It didn't seem to hurt Verizon at all while AT&T had a crippled system that was overtaxed for a few years.

Nah, I think AT&T did better around then (look around 2008):

 

[heeloliver]

shooting themselves in the foot!

 

[ifonlyihad1]

get a grip dude. wow!!

There are only two kinds of people who buy Toyotas:

1. people who can't afford a proper car
2. members or ISIS and Al Shabab​