Why Did Toyota Pick Telenav Instead of Google or Apple for Phone Integration?
In-car entertainment, often called infotainment, is a rapidly growing part of the automotive space. Manufacturers all have their own solutions, but their trying to also figure out the best ways to integrate smartphones into the mix. Google offers Android Auto and Apple has Car Play. Both of those solutions are far along in development and available on some new cars. So why did Toyota decide to partner with someone else?
Telenav has provided map databases for GPS makers for years, and they offer something they call Scout GPS for integration to the smart phone. Toyota recently announced that they will be using them for their navigation integration with the phones.
Why? Because Toyota wants more control over the system, including cutting down on the distracted driving elements.
The current offerings from Google and Apple function the way smartphones do, with drivers switching from app to app do get what they need done. At least, that’s what Telenav claims. I’m currently in a Hyundai with Android Auto and there is some pretty slick integration.
The beauty of a system like Google’s Android Auto is simplicity of setup. The first time you climb into the car, you plug the phone into the USB port, and everything happens. The phone is automatically paired via Bluetooth to the car. The Android Auto app is downloaded and installed. The system is enabled and the phone goes into Car Mode. Everything, except the plugging in of the smartphone to the USB, is done automatically.
Partnering with a different company will add an additional step or steps to the process, making it more difficult for the average person to take advantage of the system.
Before Hyundai launched their Car Play and Android Auto setups, I talked to them about both systems. The biggest complaint that they receive from a customer service standpoint is people don’t know how to setup their phone to their infotainment. Yes, they have a hard time pairing Bluetooth, even though with a modern-day vehicle (especially the Hyundai in question) it was pretty easy.
With Android Auto the company can completely automate the entire process, and the customer ends up using an interface they have experience with. Or, they can bounce back out to the Hyundai interface and still listen to the music on their smartphone or use Google for maps.
Why on Earth would Toyota want to partner with another company that doesn’t have the market penetration that Google and Android do? I really don’t know.
Automakers don’t like giving up control inside the car, and that is one of their concerns by relying on Google or Apple for part of the infotainment experience. However, manufacturers are quickly seeing the benefits as these systems mature and are quickly working to get them adopted into their own cars.
Telenav touts the safety of their setup, and we all know that safety is a top priority at Toyota. Even though I can’t understand why partnering with someone else, I am eager to get ahold of the new system and run it through its paces. Maybe I’ll understand more then?
What do you think? Let us know in the forums!
Chime in with your thoughts on the forum. >>
via [Bloomberg Business]
