Hyundai Announces Upgrades To CarPlay & Android Auto… Unless You’re Canadian
Hyundai made the news late yesterday when MacRumors posted a story on the fact that updates that would bring Android Auto and Apple CarPlay to US owners of the following vehicles:
- 2016 Elantra GT
- 2015 and 2016 non-hybrid Sonata
- 2017 Santa Fe Sport
- 2017 Santa Fe
- 2015 and 2016 Genesis Sedan
- 2016 Tucson
Seeing as I own the latter vehicle, this caught my interest. But then my hopes and dreams were dashed thanks to to Hyundai Forums user “Jusungchai” who managed to get a copy of an internal memo from Hyundai Canada that implies that this update isn’t coming to Canadians anytime soon, if ever. The company basically said the following:
- Unless you have a 2017 model year Hyundai vehicle, you’re not getting Android Auto. The company cites “fundamental differences” in the hardware required to drive the software.
- No timeline exists for CarPlay in any Hyundai vehicle. But it is being worked on by both Apple and Hyundai and that includes support for both English and French.
- There is no guarantee of Hyundai Canada being able to offer CarPlay as an upgrade option to your existing Hyundai.
- Hyundai Canada blames the media for anyone thinking that CarPlay and Android Auto would be available in whole or in part.
The funny thing is that if you check the Hyundai Canada website, they actually show Android Auto in a 2016 Tucson. I’ve taken a screen capture of it and pasted it below:
This is on top of the fact that Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are available in other places beyond the US. For example, here’s a link to the availability of CarPlay in Australia with Android Auto support to follow. This makes me wonder about Hyundai Canada and their plans for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It really sounds like they haven’t got a plan and are simply trying to say “nope, you’re not getting it” and hope that stops Canadian Hyundai owners from asking to be treated like ones in the US. But that’s thus the conspiracy theorist in me coming out. I’m sure that there’s a much better explanation than the rather lame one that Hyundai Canada has provided. Might I suggest to them that they might want to come clean on it sooner rather than later.
June 17, 2016 at 11:25 am
Meh, they have lost me as a customer. The first chance I get, I’m trading out of this thing. I was living with the rattles, etc, but then I went and test drove a VW and everyday I drive the Sonata, it just annoys me.
June 20, 2016 at 10:08 am
Hi there. Would you be willing to speak to me in regards to a story that I am writing on this topic? Please advise.
June 20, 2016 at 1:32 pm
I use to work in car sales for Hyundai. We had our 2015 sonata training. And was showed android auto working on a Canadian sonata before it came out. They said it would come out later in early 2015. I bought the Sonata the first month it came out October 2014. Now I still don’t have android auto. I’ve also sold a bunch of 2015 sonata while I was in car sales with the promise of android auto/apple car play upgrade later on.
June 20, 2016 at 1:34 pm
Would you be willing to talk to me as part of a story that I am writing? Please advise.
September 1, 2016 at 2:07 pm
I just picked up a 2017 Hyundai Elantra TODAY (01 Sept 2016) with android auto and was told by the salesman it has Apple Car Play. I tried relentlessly to get Apple car play to work and then read all the reports that my new car may never get it, I’m pissed. I’m seriously thinking of driving the car back over and tell them to take it back. It has less than 30 Kms on it.
June 22, 2016 at 4:57 pm
I have 2015 2.0T Ultimate, I bought this car because they promised releasing Android Auto for the navigation system, which I found it worth to buy Hyundai Sonata!
They have crappiest customer service policies and here you go with their Android Auto promise!
“Hardware can not drive software” is dumbest excuse as you can literally run Android on anything with CPU and RAM !!!!
lets open petition and make them to release Android Auto!
July 27, 2016 at 8:58 pm
Sonata2014
September 22, 2016 at 8:23 am
I just bought the 2016 genesis coupe. When I was looking at cars this was one of the biggest prerequisites. I was told it is a simple upgrade when the car is delivered. Now I’m told it is not available. I’m pissed I never would have bought it.
January 18, 2024 at 9:41 pm
[…] back in 2015 went through a bit of a PR crisis where people who were mad due to the fact that US buyers were promised Apple CarPlay and Android Auto via future software updates, but Canadians di…. Now Hyundai Canada didn’t promise this at all to Canadian customers, but likely because of […]