CarPlay roll out delayed by Mercedes-Benz, Volvo
Both Mercedes-Benz and Volvo are delaying their US roll out of Apple CarPlay, although it’s unclear whether there will be flow on effects for Australian customers.
Mercedes-Benz and Volvo are two out of the five automotive brands that were initially scheduled to offer CarPlay compatible entertainment systems, at least in the US, by the end of 2014. A report in 9to5Mac indicates that both companies have delayed their roll outs until 2015.
A representative of Mercedes-Benz USA said, "CarPlay won’t be available by the end of this year, but in 2015." They also added that "we are not quite sure if we will feature an aftermarket solution".
As for Volvo, the company says, "As of the launch of the all-new Volvo XC90, we will be offering preparation for Apple CarPlay. Full CarPlay functionality will be available later in 2015."
Hyundai, on the other hand, claims to be on track with its plans and will launch a CarPlay-compatible head unit on select US models by the end of 2014.
Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and Hyundai all demonstrated CarPlay-compatible entertainment systems at this year's New York auto show.
CarPlay is a smartphone mirroring standard developed by Apple for its iPhone range, and will be available on select iPhone models when iOS 8 is released later this year. Car makers from Citroen and Toyota through to Ferrari and Jaguar have committed to incorporating CarPlay onto future models.
Google is also working on a similar technology, to be known as Android Auto, for its Android smartphone platform. Android Auto will become available when the next major version Android is released later this year.
We’re currently waiting to hear back from Ferrari and Honda, as well as the Australian arms of Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo, to to confirm their CarPlay roll out timelines.
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