By adding Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to its car audio lineup, Pioneer Electronics has boosted its sales by well above 30 percent, it said.
Sales of Pioneer’s AVH-4000NEX deck jumped 30 to 50 percent after Pioneer launched CarPlay, adding it through a software update in October 2014.
By March of 2016, Android Auto joined CarPlay in the AVH-4100NEX, and Pioneer saw a steady increase of 5 to 10 percent with each consecutive month (above the previous increase). Both units carry a suggested price of $699.
“We still expect it to grow more,” said Pioneer’s Ted Cardenas. The auto manufacturers are now beginning to run ads,” including an Android Auto ad from Hyundai, he said.
“Given the fact that’s it’s still pretty early, this is a real opportunity to suddenly talk to the mainstream consumer. I certainly think that just awareness alone, will lift it. How soon that will happen and the exact lift, I don’t know,” he added.
Twenty-five percent of iPhone owners in the US are very interested in CarPlay and 40 percent are somewhat interested in it, according to a Strategy Analytics study published in April.
Thirty-one percent of Android smartphone owners in the US are very interested in Android Auto and 64 percent are somewhat or very interested.
The car companies are expected to see wide adoption of CarPlay because they are not charging extra for it. It seems to be included automatically in many step-up infotainment packages, said Greg Basich of Strategy Analytics.
Here is a list of all 2015 and 2016 model year cars sold in the US with CarPlay and/or Android Auto, according to Strategy Analytics:
Ferrari: CarPlay in 2015-MY FF and California T models.
General Motors:
- Chevrolet: Android Auto and CarPlay in a total of 14 2016-MY models
- Buick: CarPlay in 2016 Buick and Lacrosse models. Android Auto on its way to Buick models.
- GMC: CarPlay in 2016 Yukon and Sierra
- Cadillac: CarPlay in 2016 ATS-V, ATS, CTS, XTS, and Escalade. Android Auto to come at a later date.
Honda: Android Auto and CarPlay in 2016 Accord (standard in 4 of 6 trim levels).
Hyundai: 2016-MY Sonata features Android Auto (standard feature on all trim levels).
Volkswagen: Planned for all 2016-MY VW models, save for Eos and Touareg, will feature CarPlay, Android Auto and Mirrorlink.
