Earlier today we got a look at Apple’s just announced CarPlay feature for iOS when Volvo announced it would arrive in its new XC90 SUV, and now Mercedes-Benz has announced its partnership with Apple. As previously reported, the company confirmed today that it will be demoing the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class at the Geneva Motor Show. Like Volvo and many of the other vehicle manufacturers, Mercedes-Benz made it clear that Apple’s CarPlay won’t be the only in-car entertainment system with work continuing on Android and MirrorLink solutions:
As soon as Google brings its own in-car infotainment system to market, Mercedes-Benz customers will also be able to enjoy the world of Android in their cars. Mercedes-Benz has already shown to impressive effect how an Android-based in-car infotainment system could look…
Not only does Mercedes-Benz have plans for Android-based in-car systems, but it will also continue to offer its Drive Kit Plus, Digital DriveStyle App, COMAND Online, and Mercedes-Benz apps that let users access a variety of smartphone apps from Facebook to Google Maps through the in-car display.
Volvo noted earlier that it has a system to allow its own content and Apple’s CarPlay content to coexist on the same display, but it’s unclear exactly how CarPlay will integrate with Android-based systems and existing in-car systems. From the images above (and below) from Mercedes, we see that it will offer many of its own Mercedes-Benz apps like COMAND through the CarPlay UI.
