The new 2014 Honda Civic is now for sale. New features include new technologies revolving around smartphone connectivity, allowing owners to interact eyes-free with Apple’s Siri voice assistant and Nokia’s HERE navigation app.
With an integrated 7-inch touch display in the dashboard, the 2014 Honda Civic offers iOS apps for navigation, media playbook, and communication. Several of these apps demand an iPhone to be connected with the car via Bluetooth. The HondaLink Navigation, for instance, makes the handset stream HERE navigation to the dashboard display, complete with updated traffic, practical routes for specified destinations, and more.
Mind you, the 2014 Honda Civic’s take on the iOS isn’t the complete experience as Apple has developed for in-dash systems for cars. The 7-inch audio display, hopefully just for now, uses a custom interface and platform made by Honda. Only the iPhone 5, 5S, and 5C are currently compatible with the car, although support for more devices (including Android-powered ones) will arrive sometime next year. Nevertheless, this is a start for car-smartphone connectivity.
Other automakers are also hopping onboard and implementing ways to integrate mobile platforms into their cars’ dashboards. Kia and Hyundai, for instance, will be using the Android-based UVO 2.0 navigation system for their 2014 car lineup.