Everyone knows that the vast majority of infotainment systems are bad, which is why we all use Apple CarPlay instead. Except that’s not actually true, reports BMW Blog. This is exactly what you’d expect BMW to say because it wants you to use its own fancy infotainment instead, like most manufacturers do. However, BMW has some rather compelling data to back up its claims, turning the traditional argument on its head.
According to Stephan Durach, BMW’s Senior Vice President of UI/UX Development, usage data from 10 million connected BMWs shows how drivers are using their cars, including the infotainment systems.
“We can see what our customers are doing, what kind of controls they’re using, in what of kind of driving conditions they’re using them.”
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“They started using our own navigation,” he claims, “people have still their phone connected with CarPlay, but only for dedicated use cases.” While no laundry list of use cases was provided, messaging was singled out.
Since messaging happens through the phone regardless, that makes sense. I imagine music would be another common use, since drivers either have music saved on their phones or streaming service subscriptions that are easy to pipe through the car’s speakers. However, after switching away from built-in navigation to familiar apps on Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, drivers now appear to be switching back.
Why the switch?
Drivers started using Apple CarPlay and Android Auto because they were faster, easier, and more intuitive to use than manufacturers’ built-in systems of the time. Data connections ensured that map data is always up to date, while manually updating built-in maps was always a bit of a pain. Now, though, connected cars update maps automatically. Having maps stored locally also lets you plan a route even if you don’t have a data connection, an area where most phone apps fail miserably, in my experience.
Manufacturers are also leaning into integrating their navigation with vehicle data that Google Maps, Apple Maps, and the like don’t have access to. EVs, in particular, can easily route you to a charger along your route near the end of your range, or suggest routes based on efficiency rather than the fastest or shortest route. While you can search for a ChargePoint or Tesla Supercharger in your preferred map app, it isn’t nearly as convenient as the function in your EV’s native navigation system. Also, few cars allow you to display directions from CarPlay on gauge clusters or heads-up displays.
People first switched to CarPlay because it worked better than their car’s built-in navigation. It makes sense if people are now switching from CarPlay back to built-in nav systems for exactly the same reason. Unless Apple takes over the car, which it wouldn’t mind doing, it won’t have the integration advantage that manufacturers’ infotainment systems have had all along.
