Hyundai is now the very first car manufacturer to offer Android Auto built into a vehicle as standard.
The company’s 2015 Hyundai Sonata will ship with Google’s fledgling automotive software, beating rival carmakers to the punch.
Android Auto has been available for a while, but only as an aftermarket solution for your car.
What’s particularly interesting about Hyundai’s announcement is that current 2015 Sonata owners will also be able to access Android Auto.
Hyundai is making the software available through a dashboard update, although you’ll need to take it to a dealership first – US only for now, unfortunately.
The company will then provide you with a USB-transferrable software download, which is set to be available ‘later this summer’.
Related: Best Android Apps 2015
Google first announced Android Auto back at Google I/O 2014, showing off new ways of integrating software with cars.
When connected, Android Auto will make Google Maps the default navigation software for the vehicle.
You’ll also get connectivity with apps like Spotify, which will play music through your car speakers.
It lands as a rival to Apple’s car software package ‘CarPlay’, which was also available as an aftermarket system last year.
With this year’s Google I/O scheduled for May 28, just days away, it’s likely we’ll hear more about future prospects for the company’s vehicular OS.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
