Hyundai to launch the first vehicle to come with Android Auto

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Android Auto in the 2015 Hyundai Sonata press photo courtesy of Hyundai America

Android Auto in the 2015 Hyundai Sonata

First production car powered by Android Auto rolls out – and it’s a Hyundai | The Register

From the horse’s mouth

Hyundai America

Press Release

My Comments

Android Auto is starting to appear in production vehicles firstly with Hyundai. Here, this isn’t an extra-cost add-on or prototype, rather something that is par for the course for the vehicle’s premium trim levels.

This will be in the form of their 2015 Sonata executive sedan and only on the Eco, Sport, Limited, Sport 2.0T and Limited 2.0T trim levels. As well, you would need to make sure that you have bought the “Navigation” option for your vehicle. These trim levels will come with a large LCD touchscreen as part of an infotainment system that can handle Apple AirPlay and Android Auto.

2015 Hyundai Sonata press picture courtesy of Hyundai America

2015 Sonata

But Hyundai is also extending this option to those of us who have already purchased the eligible vehicles by supplying it as a free upgrade. This is done by you downloading the new firmware from the MyHyundai website and copying it to a USB memory key to install in to your vehicle. Here, I would recommend that those of you who are unsure about this process have the firmware upgrade done by your Hyundai dealership’s mechanics when you have your vehicle serviced by them.

A good question that I would raise would be whether this option will be rolled out across other current-model-year Hyundai vehicles like the Tucson or Veloster that have the high-end navigation / infotainment system as standard for their trim level or can be “optioned up” to this functionality. Similarly, will any of the other vehicle builders offer Android Auto as an in-place upgrade or as standard for existing vehicles with the right infotainment system?

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