Mazda has announced it will add Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility to its line-up, though timing is still to be confirmed.
Speaking to Cars.com at the US launch of the new CX-5, a spokesperson for the company said it is planning to introduce the smartphone mirroring technology, though didn’t say which vehicle will debut the feature.
Mazda Connect has been available in Mazda vehicles since 2014, which is also the year that Mazda first pledged support for CarPlay. Mazda has been listed as a CarPlay partner since shortly after CarPlay first debuted, but it has yet to release a CarPlay-compatible vehicle.
While it’s good news that Mazda has committed to offering the technology in its models at some point, it’s still unclear when it will be available and how much it would cost to have an older model have its infotainment system upgraded to be compatible.
Mazda spokesperson Jacob Brown said.
“Mazda has been an Apple CarPlay and Android Auto partner since 2014, so it is no secret that we are developing both systems to interface with our Mazda Connect infotainment system.
“Both software systems should be retroactively upgradable onto all Mazda Connect systems with a potentially minimal hardware addition needed. Mazda does not yet have an official timeline for when these should be available or at what cost, however.”
