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Ferrari Ditches In-Car Navigation in Favor of Smartphone Integration
If you own a vehicle with a built-in navigation system, you may have found yourself rarely using it. This trend has prompted Ferrari to eliminate its native navigation feature altogether, largely due to the convenience offered by smartphones.
According to Emanuele Carando, Ferrari’s head of product marketing, smartphones have rendered traditional mapping systems nearly obsolete. He explained to Motor1 that phone mirroring offers the "most user-friendly possibility." The frequent updates to mobile operating systems and mapping applications like Google Maps and Waze mean that in-car navigation systems quickly become outdated.
While over-the-air (OTA) updates for these built-in navigation systems are available, they do not occur as frequently as the updates for mobile apps. Moreover, navigating a car’s built-in system can often be confusing. Although some automakers produce better systems than others, many drivers find them far from intuitive, requiring multiple steps or specific voice commands. Even luxury cars, equipped with virtual assistants, can present a steep learning curve.
For Ferrari owners, this complexity is unnecessary.
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, which have only been available for about a decade, have become the favored in-car operating systems due to their simplicity and seamless integration. These systems mirror the familiar interface of smartphones, making it easier for drivers to access GPS and other apps like Waze directly from their vehicles.
Automakers are increasingly emphasizing smartphone compatibility, particularly with the added convenience of wireless connections. Ford CEO Jim Farley acknowledged that the industry lost the battle for in-car content years ago, suggesting that manufacturers should adapt to current consumer preferences. Notably, older vehicle models are also being retrofitted for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, as demonstrated by Honda’s upgrades for the 2018-2022 Accord.
It will be interesting to see if any automakers reverse their current strategies in response to evolving consumer demands.
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