Harman's Wireless Implementation of CarPlay Available to Select OEMs, It Says

Harman said its implementation of Apple CarPlay integration, through a wireless connection, is being deployed in the market for the first time. A photo in a Thursday news release showed a BMW steering wheel, and BMW announced last fall its 5 Series vehicles would include wireless CarPlay integration. In Harman’s infotainment system, available to select OEMs, a vehicle’s Bluetooth and Wi-Fi networks will enable the connectivity required for Apple’s CarPlay technology vs. other solutions that support CarPlay through a USB connection, said the company. Harman’s system is said to provide flexibility between native and CarPlay human machine interfaces, allowing simultaneous operation of head unit functions and CarPlay navigation. Users can control through the car’s display their iPhone calls, music playback, mobile office and navigation functions, it said. The system also has voice recognition, it said. Samsung is buying Harman (see 1612210031).