Honda unveiled its first in-car connected infotainment system – HondaLink. The platform relies on Harman’s Aha technology to connect to different content sources, including Facebook feeds, audiobooks and Internet radio, all of which will be easily accessible through a touch of a button or voice command.
The 2013 Honda Accord will be the first vehicle to get the new capability, though a special version will be made for the Fit EV that will include energy saving and monitoring features.
What’s specific about HondaLink is that it connects to the Internet using driver’s smartphone. Moreover, the same link is used to allow users to control the infotainment system via a dedicated HondaLink app. We think this is a better approach since paying carriers for an additional connection isn’t something most of us would want to do. Heck, we hope that other auto makers will follow a similar pattern, bringing a smartphone to the center of the infotainment system.
[Via: GigaOm]