Apple CarPlay, Android Auto Coming to 2016 Volkswagens

Volkswagen buyers will soon be able to take advantage of Apple's CarPlay and Google's Android Auto.

The German automaker on Thursday announced that nearly all of its 2016 model year vehicles will support CarPlay and Android Auto for in-vehicle smartphone integration, the first of which will hit dealer showrooms this week. The services are part of a new "modular infotainment platform" (MIB II), which VW said "offers one of the most comprehensive suites of connected vehicle services and features available in the automotive industry today."

"The new technology will provide consumers access to information, right at their fingertips, available across nearly the entire Volkswagen range," the car maker said. VW first announced CarPlay and Android Auto support at CES in January.

The company said it's moving away from trying to control all connectivity development for its fleet, and is instead collaborating with companies like Apple and Google to integrate their technologies into its vehicles.

"As the people's car brand, we knew that it was important to democratize these technologies across the Volkswagen line-up, with features like App-Connect ensuring that more consumers can integrate their smart devices in a wide range of trims on virtually every model the company sells," Michael Horn, president and CEO of Volkswagen of America, said in a statement.

With CarPlay, iPhone users can get directions, send and receive messages, and listen to audiobooks or music on their phone through the vehicle's touch screen, steering wheel controls, or hands-free with Siri. Android Auto offers similar functionality, letting Android smartphone users make and receive calls, listen to incoming messages and respond, get directions with Google Maps, stream music from their phone — all through existing vehicle controls, the touch screen, and voice actions.

Besides CarPlay and Android Auto, VW buyers will be able to connect their smartphone via MirrrorLink on select handsets from Samsung, HTC, LG, and Sony.

VW is offering four different head units ranging from 5 inches to 8 inches for 2016 models, depending on the trim level of the vehicle. Entry-level models will feature a "Composition Color" 5-inch, 400-by-240 display, but there's also a "Composition Media" unit available with a 800-by-480 capacitive color touch display measuring at 6.5 inches for the Golf family or 6.3 inches for all other VW models.

Higher trim levels feature the "Discover Media" unit, which adds 2.5D navigation, one-shot voice destination entry, additional electric vehicle functions, and more. The top-of-the-line "Discover Pro" unit, available on the e-Golf SEL Premium model, gets all the previously mentioned features with an 8-inch display.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade.

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes.

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app.

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth.

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light.

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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