Toyota Motor takes as pass on Apple or Google to provide navigation and phone connectivity, as it seeks to maintain control of the car features.
The 2016 Tacoma pickup will be the first of several Toyota models to use Scout GPS Link from Telenav Inc. The company allows Android and iPhone users to pull up directions and traffic information on their phone or Toyota dashboard while giving the automaker more say over how to configure the system.
“This is a solution over which Toyota has full control,” said Niall Berkery, Telenav’s director of automotive business development. “The big aspect for Toyota was the driver-distraction element and making it a safe experience. A lot of customers are using mobile nav in the car today, but many are doing it in an unsafe manner, whipping out the phone and typing while driving.”
Toyota has been the biggest holdout among global automakers as Apple and Google turn dashboards into screens that closely mirror their smartphones.
The 2016 Tacoma pickup will be the first of several Toyota models to use Scout GPS Link from Telenav. The company allows Android and iPhone users to pull up directions and traffic information on their phone or the dashboard.
Automakers must decide whether to hold them off and risk losing customers or open the door to two of the most feared names in technology. The Japanese automaker said the deal allows it to offer a unique search and navigation experience to its drivers.
While Volkswagen AG and General Motors are beginning to introduce models that support the tech giants’ systems, Toyota has said it’s still evaluating them for customer-data protection and driver distraction.
