Few vehicle features have grown as fast as Carplay and Android Auto. In this article we explore the evolving relationship between these smartphone integration solutions and car maker’s own embedded navigation offerings.

Apple launched Carplay in 2014, promptly followed by Google’s release of Android Auto. Since then, virtually all car makers have adopted Carplay and/or Android Auto, with 84% of MY19 models being offered with one or both solutions. This makes it the fastest growing car feature over the last decade.

Four strategies

While the industry has broadly agreed to embrace Apple and Google’s smartphone integration solutions, they have yet to align on how best to position Carplay and Android Auto within their overall infotainment strategies. So far four different strategies have emerged: 

• Strategy 1: Extra navigation / Most brands incorporate Carplay/Android Auto into their overall infotainment packages, which means it effectively becomes another navigation system in addition to the existing embedded solution. 
• Strategy 2: Entry-level navigation / Some brands (e.g. Chrysler) use Carplay/Android Auto as an entry-level navigation system on lower trims, with embedded navigation still available as an optional extra or on higher trims. 
• Strategy 3: Replacement navigation / A small number of brands have started to replace their embedded navigation systems altogether with Carplay/Android Auto. So far Chevrolet, Hyundai, Kia, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Volkswagen have all launched models with Carplay/Android Auto but no embedded navigation.
• Strategy 4: Upgraded navigation / Some premium brands like BMW, JLR and Porsche offer Carplay/Android Auto as an upgrade feature that can be either chosen when buying the car, or subscribed to at a later stage. 

To standard-fit or not?

Beyond the four different strategies highlighted above, car makers also need to decide how aggressively to fit Carplay and Android Auto across different trim levels. As shown below, the likelihood of Carplay/Android Auto and embedded navigation being fitted as standard varies considerably. This difference is particularly noticeable on base trims, where Carplay/Android Auto is twice as likely as embedded navigation to be standard-fit. 

Conclusion

So far car makers are hedging their bets by offering Carplay/Android Auto and embedded navigation in parallel across most of their model line-up. However, as we’ve dug deeper, it is clear that while car makers are adopting a hybrid approach, they are much more likely to fit Carplay/Android Auto as standard on high-volume base trims, therefore driving up the overall penetration rate. 

SBD is still adding models & brands to VehiclePlannerPlus’ penetration rate insight, but with the data we’ve collected so far the penetration rate of Carplay/Android Auto is double that of embedded navigation on MY19 vehicles. This will inevitably drive up familiarity, which could eventually translate into reliance, adding pressure on car makers to de-spec embedded navigation on future models.