Toyota adds CarPlay to the dashboard, but only in the US

Toyota Australia says it is looking at adding Apple CarPlay support to its vehicles, after it appeared in one of the brand’s cars launched in the US this week.

The smartphone support software, which can integrate some of the device’s functionality with the vehicle’s multimedia system, is rolling out in more of Toyota’s competition. However, the Japanese carmaker has steadfastly held on to its own version of Apple CarPlay, called Toyota Link, which falls well behind the functionality that Carplay adds to a vehicle.

It was added to the Toyota Avalon, a US-market V6-engined version of the Camry sedan revealed at the 2018 Detroit Motor Show.

However, Toyota Australia says while there are no immediate to add Apple iPhone support to products in local showrooms, but it is considering it.

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“There is no announcement regarding the roll-out of Apple CarPlay in Australia to make today,” Toyota Australia public affairs manager Aleks Krajcer said.

“But the technology, along with other multimedia and connected solutions, is under consideration as we seek to create and provide the best product and spec combinations for Australian Toyota buyers.”

Even so, the US-market car is missing support for the most common type of smartphone out there – Android Auto.

A number of car makers including Ford and Toyota announced early last year that they would form a consortium to slam the brakes on rolling out Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in their products. This was over fears that the two operating systems could soon start to wrest control of the way smartphones integrate – and the valuable data they collect – away from carmakers.
Toyota has also cited security fears if hackers are able to make their way into a vehicle’s electronics via the smartphone’s data connection.

Other members of the Ford-led SmartDeviceLink group include Mazda, Subaru, the Holden Commodore’s new manufacturer Groupe PSA, Mitsubishi and Suzuki.