We’ve previously reported how several upcoming car models across several luxury manufacturers are looking to adopt Apple’s next-gen CarPlay technology to immerse their drivers like never before. This upgrade in auto AV would allow phone connection options expand beyond the infotainment display, as seen in previews released through Apple, Porsche, and Aston Martin. What’s more, the upcoming CarPlay expands customization and control options for everything from vehicle metrics displays to HVAC. One notable manufacturer is not interested in Apple’s platform, however, and is pushing for a different approach.
In an interview with The Verge, Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius laid out his philosophy on the AV experience for automobiles, expressing his need for “holistic software architecture.” Källenius revealed that Mercedes is working alongside Google to build new navigation features, but that handing the proverbial keys over to another company to completely handle infotainment and display control is an idea he isn’t comfortable with, stating, “To give up the whole cockpit head unit — in our case, a passenger screen — and everything to somebody else, the answer is no.”
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In expanding on his idea for a holistic approach, Källenius says that giving customers options for what they would like to use, without forcing an entire ecosystem on them, is how he prefers to keep things. “We’re not fundamentalists to say, for some reason, we’re not going to allow a customer to use Apple CarPlay if that’s what they choose to do,” he explains. “So, we have Apple CarPlay. We have Android Auto. If, for some of the functions, you feel more comfortable with that and will switch back and forth, be my guest. You can get that, too.”
For the entire interview with Källenius, head over to The Verge.
