Hyundai confirms CarPlay will launch in 2016 Sonata, with a twist

Hyundai CarPlay (2015 Sonata)

The Detroit Free Press reported Monday that the automobile manufacturer Hyundai Motor Company will release CarPlay-enabled Sonata in the first quarter of 2016. Apple’s software platform for the car will require Sonata owners to “buy an SD card with new software” to access CarPlay features.

This sounds like an odd implementation of CarPay given that Hyundai already offers Google’s Android Auto software integration at no additional charge.

It appears that Hyundai has backtracked from its promise to add CarPlay functionality to the 2015 and 2016 Sonata midsize sedan models via a free firmware download.

“Hyundai and Apple are committed to delivering drivers the best possible experience while using CarPlay in their vehicles,” according to a written statement from Hyundai. “We are currently working together to complete CarPlay integration.”

It’s unclear from the company’s statement whether CarPlay will be compatible with the existing 2015 Sonata models, or if Hyundai is planning on bringing CarPlay to the rest of its 2016 lineup for that matter

Source: The Detroit Free Press