Toyota has been slow in offering us everything we want when it comes to the connectivity desire in a vehicle through the infotainment system.
When you’re shopping for a new vehicle what do you expect to find? You expect to find a vehicle that has the modern technology that’s being offered to keep you safe and help you avoid a collision, you expect to find a modern cabin, impressive fuel mileage, and the items that are important on the road today.
One of those things that are important on the road is the connectivity you can enjoy.
Apple Offered, but Not Android
Most of the vehicles that we see on the market offer us the benefits of both Apple CarPlay and AndroidAuto for the driving experience. These are proprietary software platforms that allow us to connect our smartphone to the infotainment system of the vehicle and make use of the same apps that we use every day.
Unfortunately, AndroidAuto hasn’t been offered in Toyota models and Apple CarPlay only started being offered in January. This means that Toyota has been slow to bring these items to the vehicles we want to drive.
Why has Toyota Been Slow to Offer These Systems?
While the automaker is finally offering us the benefits of Apple CarPlay, they still haven’t decided to implement Android Auto. The initial reason for the decision to offer only Apple CarPlay has to do with security concerns with Android systems.
This reasoning might not be viable any longer as the brand will likely need to add Android Auto to their vehicles in the future if they want to keep pace with the rest of the automotive world. Even so, Toyota has expressed is concerns over the security of the system.
Haven’t We Been Able to Connect to Entune?
The Entune system has been one that we can connect to with an Apple or Android device with the use of the Smart Device Link. This system was established by Ford and Toyota through the Smart Link Consortium and it allows you to connect to the system but uses safety and security-focused systems to block app usage and external networks.
This consortium is built to manage open source software for smartphone app development for vehicles with Subaru, Suzuki, and PSA which have all also joined the push for open-source vehicle software as an alternative to the proprietary systems.
Facts Are Facts
The numbers tell us that we want to have the ability to make use of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in our new vehicles. Regardless of the security concerns of Toyota or any other automaker, more customers have an Android device than any other. It’s time for Toyota to offer Android Auto in their vehicles as part of the infotainment system so that we can make use of our smartphone apps and systems the way we want when we drive.
If I were to guess, Toyota will begin to offer this additional system in the very near future.
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