Coming Soon: Nissan and Apple Carplay

Jun 2, 2015

Apple Carplay and Nissan

You’ve come to expect a lot from Nissan, and Nissan has always delivered. Now, fasten your seat belts and get ready, because Nissan is going above and beyond expectations and taking Nissan drivers’ connectivity to the next level with Apple Carplay.

So, what happens when two of the best, most dependable, cutting edge brands on the market meet like this?

Nissan drivers will be able to access music, mobile phone, messaging and many other apps directly from a large touch screen in dash display. The interface is large, easy to use and intuitive – in short, all the things that Apple iPhone and iPad users have come to expect from their Apple products. Drivers will be able to use all the features of their iPhones without creating the dangerous driving conditions that result from trying to use a mobile device while driving.

The CarPlay is compatible with iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. The way it works is fairly simple – you simply plug your iPhone into the dashboard using the standard lightning cable. Cars equipped with CarPlay will detect the device, causing the CarPlay display to appear on your video display. CarPlay locks your iPhone screen, making your driving experience safer – and eliminating any question about whether you were texting while driving.

CarPlay will roll out with a dozen apps third party right out of the gate, and is expected to expand the available apps shortly. Third part apps that will be supported right from the beginning include Spotify, Stitcher, Beats Music, Rdio and iHeartRadio – in short, the music apps you’re mostly likely to want to use while driving. Additionally, CBS Radio, MLB At Bat, Umano and Audiobooks.com apps are supported. Other apps will be added based on their safety of use while driving. So, while you won’t see Angry Birds supported, you can expect to see a wide selection of apps that you’ll be able to use without taking your eyes and attention off of the road.

Apple Carplay and Nissan

All of that is in addition to standard Apple iPhone apps like Messages, Music, Maps, Podcasts, Now Playing and, of course, your phone itself. All apps that work with Siri on your iPhone will also work with Siri on your CarPlay, allowing you an even greater degree of safety while driving and asking for directions, making calls or sending and receiving messages. A major improvement of using Siri with your CarPlay is that the app will cause Siri to recognize that you are driving, thus preventing Siri from offering a long list of online answers to your question that you would have to turn your attention away from driving to look through.

In addition to Siri voice commands, apps on CarPlay can be controlled by using the buttons, knobs, touchscreen and other controls that are already part of your car’s audio and other controls. It’s important to note that Siri will not take over your car’s dashboard controls. In other words, you won’t be able to ask Siri to change your analog radio stations, change the car’s temperature or heating/air conditioning settings or perform other functions typically handled with your car’s audio and climate controls.

You can look for the CarPlay app to be included beginning with this year’s models. We expect it to be a popular feature and anticipate that it will be available on all new Nissans before long. While most major auto manufacturers are expected to eventually offer Apple CarPlay, we’re proud to be part of the cutting edge, allowing Conyers Nissan drivers to be among the first to experience the greater connectivity – and more importantly, greater safety – of using their iPhones through the CarPlay app.