Automotive

Hyundai issues a software update bringing CarPlay to Azera and Veloster models

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 10, 2017

South Korean automobile maker Hyundai today announced a firmware update bringing Apple's CarPlay and Google's Android Auto infotainment systems to additional vehicles, namely the latest Azera and Veloster models. The new firmware follows a firmware update in December 2015 that brought support for CarPlay to the 2016 Sonata and a few other 2015 and 2016 models.

Last week, the company said that CarPlay integration will be offered as a standard feature on the 2017 Sonata and limited-edition Tucson models.

CarPlay is coming to Hyundai’s 2017 Sonata and Tucson models

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 2, 2017

After releasing a firmware update which brought CarPlay support to the 2016 Sonata and a few other 2015 and 2016 models, Hyundai today announced that Apple's CarPlay infotainment system will be offered as a standard feature on its 2017 Sonata and limited-edition Tucson models.

Bloomberg: Apple’s Project Titan prioritizes autonomous driving amid new hirings

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 28, 2016

Apple's rumored electric vehicle project has shifted its focus towards autonomous driving systems although that shouldn't be interpreted as Apple abandoning efforts to design its own vehicle, Bloomberg reported today.

After bringing former hardware chief Bob Mansfield back from retirement to run its Project Titan initiative, Apple has now hired BlackBerry and Ford talent to help perfect its secret self-driving software.

WSJ: Apple’s retired hardware chief Bob Mansfield to oversee development of Project Titan

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 25, 2016

Following a report last week alleging that Apple's rumored electric vehicle project was internally delayed after its lead Steve Zadesky left in January 2016 for personal reasons, The Wall Street Journal is reporting today that Apple's enlisted help of its retired hardware chief Bob Mansfield, who will now oversee development of Project Titan.

Report: Apple’s rumored electric car project faces internal launch delay until 2021

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 21, 2016

Former Wall Street Journal reporter Jessia Lessin's outlet, The Information, this morning ran a story behind a paywall claiming that Apple's tentative 2020 launch target for a rumored autonomous electric vehicle may have slipped until 2021. Project Titan, as it's code-named, “has run into challenges” after its top executive left in January, as per sources.

Night Shift mode could be coming to Mac, Apple Watch and CarPlay

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 7, 2016

Night Shift mode, a new iOS 9.3 feature which helps users get a good night’s sleep by reducing the amount of blue light emitted from a backlight of their iOS device as the sun sets, could be coming to the Mac, the Apple Watch and even to Apple's CarPlay infotainment system, Patently Apple writes.

A trademark application for “Computer software for controlling computer and mobile device display screens,” filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), specifically covers smartphones (the iPhone), computers (the Mac), smartwatches (Apple Watch) and cars (CarPlay) while also mentioning things like styluses, batteries, radios, integrated circuits and even fire extinguishers, which is normal for these types of trademarks.

2017 Porsche Panamera will have CarPlay integration

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 29, 2016

Apple's infotainment system will be integrated natively into a 2017 edition of Panamera from Porsche, the German automobile manufacturer specializing in high-performance sports cars. The car maker announced this morning that the 2017 Panamera luxury sedan has CarPlay support via a built-in 12.3-inch touchscreen.

In addition to CarPlay, the vehicle will support a new version of Porsche's own Communication Management system with navigation, a voice control system with support for natural language parsing, Porsche Connect and more.

Honda says CarPlay coming to 2017 Accord refresh

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 24, 2016

Japanese car manufacturer Honda currently uses Apple's CarPlay infotainment system in the 2016 Accord and Civic, as well as in the 2017 Ridgeline.

Today, the company announced that CarPlay will be returning in the 2017 Accord which will be arriving in showrooms on Monday, starting at $22,355.

Former Apple engineers create a $500 rearview vehicle camera with smart features

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 9, 2017

About 50 former Apple employees now work for a startup, called Pearl, which was co-founded by three former Apple engineers (Joseph Fisher, Brian Sander and Bryson Gardner) who had spent decades helping develop some of the most iconic Apple devices like iPods and iPhones. For the past two years, Pearl has been working on its first product, a smart rearview vehicle camera, which unveiled this morning.

George Hotz’s $1,000 kit will transform your car into a self-driving one

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 7, 2016

George Hotz aka “GeoHot” is one of the pioneers of the early jailbreak scene. In December 2015, Bloomberg Businessweek ran a lengthy profile focused on Hotz's new project: a self-driving car kit. He's since secured funding for the project, Forbes reported, and now the kit that promises to transform your car into a self-driving vehicle for just $1,000 seems to be becoming a reality, as The Verge reports.

Apple shows interest in the technology behind charging stations for electric vehicles

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 25, 2016

In yet another indication that Apple's secretive electric vehicle effort, dubbed Project Titan, isn't just a pipe dream, Reuters said in a report this morning that recent hirings have revealed Apple's interest in exploring the technology behind charging stations for electric vehicles while hinting that it could consider engineering a similar technology.

Apple granted a patent that’d allow advanced car control via your iPhone

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 24, 2016

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on Tuesday granted Apple a patent that could be a perfect fit for Project Titan, its not-so-secretive electric car project.

The proposed invention outlines an advanced vehicle access control system that would permit an iPhone to do things like open your car doors, start or shut off the engine for specific time frames and for specific duration of time, adjust and activate personalized car settings and more.

“The feature set described in this invention went far beyond anything that could have been conceived working with CarPlay,” explains Patently Apple, which first caught wind of the granted patent.