Android Auto, Google's operating system for cars, will be available for the first time in a real car with the introduction of the 2015 Hyundai Sonata -- though not currently in the UK.
The technology runs on a smartphone connected to a dashboard touchscreen, and uses voice commands and steering-wheel controls to let users listen to music, reply to messages, make calls and get directions while driving.
Existing owners of the 2015 Sonata with navigation features can visit their local dealer for a software update to enable Android Auto. People will be able to make the update themselves later this summer by downloading the software onto a USB stick. The system has only launched in North America, however, with no details yet available for the UK. A Hyundai spokesperson said the company was working to make Android Auto available globally, adding there was "no timeline" for an international launch.
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Unlike existing on-dash navigation and media systems, Android Auto runs entirely from a smartphone, making it easier to update As well as working with car-modified versions of Google Maps navigation, voice search, messaging, calls and music, the system also works with some third party-apps, including Spotify.