nielsll

Does the W222 support the recently announced CarPlay?

skymast

Based on what I read, its rolling out in select cars in 2014 which probably means 2015 models i didn't see any reference to specific models.

It looks very cool. https://www.apple.com/ios/carplay/

AppleFan1

I heard on CNBC this morning that they will unveil it on the C Class later this year. Why not have it available on the news S Class? It makes no sense.

Also, the video I watched this morning, showed it with some sort of 8 inch screen thats mounted on dash. That makes zero sense. Won't this new CarPlay App be incorporated on the 12.3 inch screen?

skymast

Here is a write up on Carplay in the C-Class ....

http://reviews.cnet.com/car-electron...-35836487.html

icebeam

Can the 2014 s class read your texts currently? Can you write back a text through the command system? or no.

Tjdehya

Here is a video. IMO Mercedes needs to implement touchscreens if they are going to use Carplay.

AppleFan1

So I take it that the screen they show on this video is just for demonstration purposes, right? There will be no need for this screen once CarPlay is implemented on the S550 since it has it's own 12.3 inch HD screen, right? If there is a need to mount a special screen just for CarPlay to work, I would never do so.

nyca

No touch screen is coming - if you have ever used them in a Cadillac, they are bad, you have to reach and take your eyes off the road. In 2016, MB is replacing the click wheel with a touch pad which transfers your hand gesture movements to the head unit display.

What I don't understand about this system is - does it completely replace the Mercedes in car management software? Is CarPlay running as an app under COMAND, or is COMAND running as an app under CarPlay?

And notice not all apps work. If I want to run Waze for example in the car, if its not CarPlay compatible - it won't run even though it runs under IOS.

aypues

I am sure they were get Waze to be CarPlay compatible. that is so much better than any nav system around

DaveVY

I wouldn't want a touch screen in the car, using the command controller makes more sense to me. The idea of the new touch pad command controller makes a lot more sense to me when seeing this new interface. You get the benefit of a touch screen but you don't need to lean forward or to the side to touch the screen and the screen isn't getting smudged.

Jason B

Awesome. They could make a fortune if they offer some kind of upgrade for exiting cars to use this.

BigHat

Is it fair to assume the GPS and map data in an iPhone exceeds that in Command or the other car based systems?

Jason B

Yes. 110%. I've seen just about every nav system and they are all lacking what an iPhone can do, especially with the Waze app.

I'd love to see automakers abandon their in car factory navigation (let them use that $2k elsewhere). Factory navs have gotten much better over the years, yes, but it's like a an old tube tv. Updates are usually a pain and it can only do so much.

DaveVY

I agree, built in nav systems are not easy to update, need a dedicated data feed, are not user friendly and are restricted to just one vehicle. Having integration of a cell phone is a much better idea as the user only needs one data plan and has a consistent nav system regardless of the vehicle.

skymast

Based on what I read, it will work with the round controller thing in non touch screen cars or but I don't think it will be a retrofit so its pretty much a non issue for the '14, '15 and maybe even '16 owners.

Also, for what its worth, I am early adapter on things but this doesn't sway me much ... it looks cool but its just one more screen and the fact that your phone must be plugged in to use it (no bluetooth) makes it fairly impractical for me.

I would really like to have heads up display though!!!

skymast

They suck and they are expensive and unfortunately usually bundled with other stuff I want or must have (like a steering wheel :-)) ... but they are a high margin item so I doubt they are going away anytime soon.

I do all my navigation on my mobile phone.

Wolfman

Can't wait to see this implemented. Car systems are completely outdated by the time the car is introduced and car companies are just not good in software development. Just like AirPlay, CarPlay will simply be an API that developers can integrate into their app. And software gets updated all the time based on user input/reviews. Can't say that about comand software. There will be a wireless version in the future as well.

nyca

You see in the Ferrari that it has the touch screen - your arm always has to be extended touching the screen, that's why you see the german systems using the controller.

cookstar

http://9to5mac.com/2014/03/06/merced...lder-vehicles/

BenzBoy12

To those asking about how this is working -

CarPlay is a separate system from whatever else is running. It's basically a front end running over a QNX environment - so theoretically this basic idea could be used by Microsoft or Google in order to facilitate integration with Android or Windows Phone. That would be cool. But yeah it's not technically running on top of COMMAND and definitely not COMMANd on top of it. They are basically separate. Which is nice because it means the systems each handle their own stuff independently.

Diesel Benz

I could not completely follow your explanation. What is your definition of separate items?

There is no separate box with a separate CPU that hosts your QNZ environment and the displays are not separate, neither control inputs.

Isn't it the COMAND CPU that executes this CarPlay software anyway. You must mean that this CarPlay application is quite independent of all the other MB COMAND applications and just gets permission to use the display and control input from the car is redirected to CarPlay where needed.

Does this also mean that the car GPS receiver is not used when the phone navigation application is used? Would be quite bad for accuracy. Older smart phones were able to use an external GPS device, perhaps here too.

Google and Microsoft will never adopt the CarPlay interface between the phone and the car even if it would be nice for us and the car industry if only one implementation at the car side would be sufficient. MB already informed that they are coming with the industry standard later on which then allows any smart phone brand to achieve the same functionality.

meldour

I think the 2015 w221 will be compatible with CarPlay

Wolfman

I wouldn't be so sure. Historically MB seems to put these features into high-volume production models rather than it's low volume, high-end models and in European countries first rather than in the US (unless Apple forces them to).

The closest thing to CarPlay from MB was the iPhone Drive Kit plus (not the media interface - http://drive-kit-plus.com/en/#s/start) and that was available for a long time (2 years) on the A, B, C series even in obscure countries like Bulgaria before finally making it to the US or higher-end models. Don't mean to offend any Bulgarians on the forum though

I am sure that there will be a 2014 model retrofit, same for the 2015 models build before 2015 to the tune of $695 plus install (just a guess; that's the price for the drive kit plus in the US now).

charleskline

That's not a aftermarket screen... That screen is now the Standard Screen for the Factory Merc navigation... It's so ugly. Big mistake.

Thaer

Does the 2015 s 550 have CarPlay can it be activated I have tried everything I can think of and it will not sync