Mazda to roll out Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
Australia’s number two vehicle brand finally embraces smartphone mirroring tech
Mazda Australia has announced it will finally rollout Apple CarPlay and Android Auto technology across its entire vehicle range by the end of this year.
However, the catch is it will be an extra-cost dealer-fit option – pricing for which is yet to be confirmed – for all existing models including the all-new seven-seat CX-8 diesel SUV launched this week.
The exception is the facelifted Mazda BT-50 ute line-up launched last month, which is the first Mazda model to come standard with the popular smartphone mirroring feature that’s now widespread across the new-vehicle market.
That said, Mazda says Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be fitted as standard in all new models launched from now on.
That’s likely to include upgraded versions of the CX-3, CX-9 and MX-5 due on sale in September, leaving only the CX-5 and Mazda6 (both of which were facelifted last month), plus the CX-8, Mazda2 and Mazda3 (which will be replaced next year) without the functionality as standard for now.
Mazda says all of its vehicles sold since 2014 and fitted with the company’s MZD Connect infotainment system are compatible with the Apple and Android smartphone projection system retro-fit, which involves both new software and hardware.
“We will start rolling this technology out on other new Mazda models [beyond BT-50] before the end of the year,” said Mazda Australia marketing director, Alastair Doak.
“Mazda Australia will offer, by year’s end, an Apple CarPlay and Android Auto upgrade kit, which will work seamlessly with the MZD Connect system. It will be available for all customers with an MZD Connect system that first went on sale with Mazda 3 in early 2014.
“A customer buying a CX-8 or any other car will be able to have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto in their vehicle before the end of the year. We haven’t figured out the price yet — we are just working through that now,” he said.
Mazda acknowledges it is late to the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto party and confirmed it sought customer feedback on the technology as part of its local CX-8 market research.
But it claims it has not lost any customers due to its unavailability in models like the brand’s volume-selling Mazda3 or the CX-5, which remains Australia’s most popular SUV.
“It is something that is there and you need to move with the market. Are we seeing people walk out of dealerships because we don’t have it? No,” said Doak.