Analysis Capabilities And Adaptations Of Popular Brands Of Car
Acura
Control Method: Acura has always been known for its penchant for combining luxurious features with superior performance to afford the user with a very pleasurable driving experience. This self-established benchmark rings true in the two-screen infotainment system that the company has incorporated into most of its models. A top-of-the-line 7” and 8” lower and upper display comprises of what Acura has dubbed an On-Demand Multi-Information Display. A jog controller and physical rotary also feature in the mix, allowing easy access to the interface when on the go.
One of its models, the ILX sedan to be precise, breaks the status quo and boasts of a standard 5” interface and an optional single 8” interface for higher trim levels. Another outlier, the NSX supercar, features a stunning single 7” touchscreen while the latest member to the Acura family, the 2019 RDX crossover, uses a 10.2” interface and a touch-sensitive console.
Smartphone Integration: Most models support Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. While 2019 RDX crossover only supports the latter, the makers soon plan to integrate its compatibility with Android Auto as well.
The company has introduced three strata of services, combinatorially known as AcuraLink. The Standard features offer the user with smartphone connectivity, navigation cues, free traffic updates and basic integration. However, Connect interface kicks things into overdrive by offering the user the option of interacting with their car from a distance, affording exceptional ease of access. The third tier, Premium, combines the features from its previous counterparts and also includes a 24/7 live concierge that allows you to interact with an Acura representative in real time and gain access to white-glove in-car assistance.
Sound and Music: When it comes to this particular component, the makers at Acura have outdone themselves. In a bid to replicate the high-quality sound performance similar to that of a recording studio, Acura has collaborated with Grammy award-winning recording engineer and producer Elliot Scheiner. This has allowed for the evolution of the widely acclaimed ELS Studio. You can tap into your favorite tunes through your digital library, the Internet or radio - all controlled through touchscreen operability.
The most primary functions to the music system can be very easily accessed through an interface located on the steering wheel - which means you never have to take your eyes off the road. The in-built DTS Neural Surround is capable of producing an impressive 5.1 multi-channel surround sound through a digital stereo. How can you enjoy this sound? Well, the interface comes with a total of 10 speakers - a 20cm subwoofer, four titanium dome tweeters, four mid-range and one centre mid-range - letting you cruise in style with a very enjoyable music experience.
Maps and GPS Functionality: The Acura Navigation System is accessible, quick and very convenient for the driver. It features an 8” full VGA display and allows for data access through a hard drive. Just as with a lot of the other features, the makers have mounted this interface in a control panel so that you don’t deviate your eyes from the road in order to operate it. This full-resolution system lets you tap into a huge database of every destination that allows you to search for a specific location - and to make it that much more convenient, it boasts of a voice recognition software in tandem with the traditional dial interface. Using the screen, you can plot your journey to a tee through freeways, forks, delays and detours with voice guidance and, if that wasn’t enough, there is even the option of 3D viewability - showing the masterful attention to detail that Acura invests in its cars.
Audi
Control Method: A majority of the Audi models in the market incorporate a high-end infotainment system known as MMI (Multimedia Interface). This is a godsend for you as a driver as you can access tons of information by using a rotary knob which features various shortcut buttons. Additionally, by using a 12.3” digital interface called Virtual Cockpit, your Audi allows you to easily interact with the infotainment interface. This uses a cluster operated system situated on the steering wheel to make things ergonomically pleasing. Now it might take a little getting used as operating the rotary knob instead of a touchscreen is tricky. That being said, it is undeniable that the MMI has structured and logically sequenced menus to make your driving experience extremely seamless.
Smartphone Integration: Just like most brands, the makers at Audi have gone above and beyond to ensure that each model is compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The MMI gives you full control over your phone, music, apps (Whatsapp, Spotify, etc.) and navigation by using the USB which is compatible with the most common smartphone models. The end result is that you get to enjoy a completely streamlined connection between the car and the phone.
Sound and Music: The MMI is also responsible for delivering the best sound quality and is the centrepiece when it comes to top-notch vehicular features. The speaker arrangement includes tweeters and woofers, optimizing your acoustic journey. These speakers are distributed throughout the car to accommodate the most advantageous listening experience.
The Audi R8 takes these already superior features to a whole new level. This fourth-generation luxury sedan incorporates 3D acoustics at the rear of the vehicle. Moreover, 23 loudspeakers that have low-distortion neodymium magnets are capable of creating a crisp sound feedback. Four of these speakers are tailored for the spatial dimensions, adjusted to the height of the car and provide a sensory experience like never before.
Maps and GPS Functionality: If you’re looking for a quality and versatility, Audi’s infotainment system is second to none. Along with a high-end GPS interface, it allows you to receive weather forecast updates, navigate, access a travel guide assisted with Google street view visuals and tap into the Internet radio to stream your favorite music. The driver has full control over receiving route guidance relative to their location and that is completely aided by verbal and visual cues.
This MMI navigation has an impressive ten gigabytes memory in the Standard version which is stored on a hard drive, thus allowing 3D imaging. This proves just how expansive the MMI really is. The zinger is that the makers at Audi have admitted that it’s still in the developmental phase and will soon integrate even more features!
BMW
Control Method: Often described by drivers as being not only easy to use but also very colourful, BMW’s infotainment system, the iDrive, is ergonomically optimized and affords seamless operability. It is stationed high on the dashboard and paves the way for you to access advanced communication, audio and navigation services. You can control the system with the rotary jig dial located on the main console area. There are just a handful of newer makes that also support touchscreen operability.
The 5 and 7 series have a gesture recognition functionality. For example, to adjust your music, all you have to do is wave your hand to increase or decrease the volume. To make it easier to input destination addresses, there is a touchpad console that lets you write information thereon. This is especially handy when navigating. Such highly intuitive connectivity features promise you a very smooth and easy ride.
Smartphone Integration: Bear in mind that all BMW models come with the standard FM/AM/satellite radio auxiliary connectivity, Bluetooth and USB, and the user has to take it upon themselves to upgrade to iDrive if they so wish. The infotainment system is compatible with all the major smartphones and if you want to confirm whether or not your phone is compatible and which USB and Bluetooth features you can access, visit BMW’s website and do a compatibility check. A setback here is that, to enable compatibility with Apple CarPlay, you will have to spend an extra $300.
Because of the all-round cellular integration using BMW Apps, you can quickly access Pandora and Spotify as well as other services through the same system, making the iDrive a mainstay as far as intuitive infotainment systems are concerned.
Sound and Music: The Bang and Olufsen surround sound system is crafted by expert technicians to give you uncompromising acoustics. Coupled with a sleek CD player, the BMW 3 series comes with a well-integrated audio system, USB ports and AUX In. The HiFi loudspeaker system produces quality sounds when combined with the 10 top-of-the-line speakers. All of these features can be controlled through the multi-purpose steering wheel.
The 5 and 6 series as well as the BMW X5 and X6 have sixteen 12,000 watt speakers that distribute the sound across the vehicle to provide a brilliant orchestra-esque effect. Safe to say, you will definitely be enhancing your driving with this superior listening experience.
Maps and GPS Functionality: BMW’s ConnectedDrive has an embedded SIM card that allows you access to a wide range of innovative features such as Concierge Services, BMW Teleservices, Advanced Real Time Traffic Information, Intelligent Emergency Call (6AC), Online Search and more. All of these handy features let you have quick and easy access to the outside world should complicated situations present themselves.
The navigation system itself is a high-resolution colour screen that offers quick startup, tips to reduce gas consumption, fast route calculation and 3D map imaging. Even while updating to accommodate new features and information, the interface functions without restriction.
Buick
Control Method: Depending on the make, Buick incorporates either 7” or 8” LCD displays into MyLink - its communication and entertainment system. These are located in the instrument panel that allows you to tap, spread, pinch and swipe with immense ease as you access maps, scroll through lists and browse through your favorites.
The system also allows you to access the weather forecasts, audio operations and tap into your rearview camera on the screen as well as send hands-free texts or make calls. Buick is a brand that facilitates greater convenience for the driver at every step of the way. By incorporating proximity-sensing software, the interface is capable of recognizing your finger/hand as it approaches the screen and when you click on a button, the LCD pulses to denote that it has received the command.
Smartphone Integration: Besides the Cascada convertible that has an older rendition of Buick’s infotainment system, all of the models are compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Using your iPhone or your Android device, you can tap into music, apps, podcasts and playlists, navigation functions and so much more - very seamlessly! You are allowed to manage the vehicle’s built-in 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot and connect up to seven cellular devices at a time within a 50km radius. As mentioned before, this intuitive infotainment system allows you to make hands-free calls and send texts to reduce the likelihood of you averting your eyes from the road. Buick does you one better. It also allows you to pair multiple devices so that you can take calls and play music simultaneously.
Sound and Music: The all-purpose MyLink touchscreen lets you control AM, FM and the satellite radio all at the push of a button. You can access several HD radio stations to elevate your driving experience to a whole new level. Activate and deactivate your audio settings just by using voice commands. Buick models come with high-performance speakers, that redefine the way you listen to music when on the road. This is reinforced in the 2018 Buick Verano which uses a 3.25 inch neodymium mid/high range speaker, located at the centre of the instrument panel, to provide exceptional sound quality. A Bose digital amplifier that offers the driver seven channels of custom equalization and proprietary digital signal processing, located in the rear quarter panel, makes this infotainment system a premium investment that definitely earns its keep.
Maps and GPS Functionality: Buick has incorporated a very intuitive GPS system to get you exactly where you need to go without a hitch. The MyLink system comes with an OnStar Guidance Plan that uses Turn-by-Turn Navigation. This features in all its 2015 and later models and is included in your package for a minimum period of six months. There are a number of ways to access the OnStar Navigation - you can press the blue button on the display interface and tell the advisor your destination; you can directly send the destination to your car by using the myBuick mobile app; you can input your destination into the IntelliLink Navigation system.
Because Buick is customer-focused, it constantly looks for newer and more innovative ways to upgrade MyLink every year. This is why new and altered roads, speed limits, signage, points of interest, addresses and other important data points are regularly incorporated into the system’s map update. And with every map update, your car’s routing functions will be optimized to guarantee that you stay on route and get to your destination on time.
Cadillac
Control Method: Introduced in 2012 and subsequently overhauled in 2014, the Cadillac User Experience (CUE) touch screen infotainment interface makes for a pleasurable and sublime driving experience. It incorporates gesture controls to swipe and zoom through the information on the screen. CUE uses top-of-the-line software and hardware, courtesy of Harman - Samsung’s subsidiary that designs and engineers autoproducts.
Because of its fast-growing popularity, General Motors plans to introduce CUE to its other makes - Chevrolet, GMC and Buick. The luxury brand has gone all out to ensure that the interface has a very distinct look and feel. CUE uses touch-capacitive adjusters to allow you to adjust audio volume and in-car climate functions. Owing to its 2014 makeover, the system has a new and improved graphic processing unit that GM claims is four times faster than its predecessor, affording the driver unparalleled image quality.
Smartphone Integration: CUE is a technological marvel and comes with built-in Bluetooth, USB, FM/AM and a satellite radio as well as auxiliary connectivity. In addition to these, you can also take advantage of the optional navigation, OnStar telematics support and Wi-Fi hotspot. Cadillac’s XTS, CTS and ATS models use a new and improved version to save your preferences to the cloud and this enables you to seamlessly transfer these from one vehicle to another.
Besides these, the system offers you predictive navigation to help save time when searching for your music or browsing through your favorites, and you can enjoy unrestricted connectivity with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Perhaps the most convenient gimmick yet is that all the menus on the interface are kept as simple as possible so that you can absorb the information with just a glance. This avoids you having to take your eyes off the road for long intervals to interact with the interface.
Sound and Music: Cadillac hasn’t skimped on its audio system in the slightest. The makers have gone above and beyond to ensure that you receive an immersive soundstage experience like none other. The Cadillac CT6 Bose Panaray audio system epitomizes this commitment to quality. It features a $3,700 optional interface that uses 34 speakers scattered across the cabin to give you the ultimate surround sound experience. It does so by combining discrete music channels to provide a uniform output. The audio quality itself is strong and crisp and the bass levels can be adjusted to be either subtle or pounding. That’s not all. The Panaray system is so incredibly intuitive, it has the ability to convert the clinical acoustics from the satellite radio into animated and soothing tones.
If you want to switch to FLAC files from the satellite radio, the interface does present certain issues. The iPhone doesn’t support FLAC and as such, there is a discernible sound difference in the Cadillac between a high-quality CD rip and a file purchased on iTunes. Similar issues are faced when using an Android device. All in all, the Panaray system does manage to deliver an outstanding sound quality that is not often found in vehicles at this price point.
Maps and GPS Functionality: CUE has proven itself to be every bit a driver’s dream navigation system. It affords such a wide and diverse range of options that getting to your destination on time is guaranteed. You have the option of using voice commands to input a destination, saving an address, cancelling or changing a route midway without losing out on too much time, detecting points of interest that lie in your chosen path, searching through a wide database of addresses and finding the fastest and most efficient routes to drive to your destination with the utmost confidence.
Cadillac has an exciting new update planned for 2018. Just by updating your maps you will have access to thousands of miles of new lanes, roads and freeways. You can also tap into the latest points of interest in your destination area, browse through an updated database of business and residential addresses and review new signs, speed restrictions and turn restrictions. If you want to sidestep traffic delays or make a impromptu pit stop at a tourist hotspot, then CUE definitely has you covered!
