My plan for this month’s post on the CT owner’s blog was to sing the praises of the Display Audio controller, the circular dial interface for recent Lexus models without navigation installed.
There was only one issue with my plan — I barely use it. As a matter of fact, the only time I ever touch the CT’s infotainment system is to switch phones after my wife has driven the car. I never listen to the radio. I cancelled SirusXM Radio after a full month without using it once.
I mentioned this a couple months back when writing about the Mobile Home button, but I use my iPhone for everything — directions, podcasts, communication, music. It’s the dominant device in all aspects of my life, and every single infotainment system pales in comparison.
In recent months, the connection between personal technology and the automobile is something I’ve been paying a lot of attention to, particularly when it comes to Apple Carplay and Android Auto system replacement. Here’s a preview of how the Carplay interface works, if you have to see it in action:
More than anything, this direct connection to a vehicle’s main display feels like the future of infotainment, and it’s concerning that Lexus has yet to commit to launching either system in the near future.
No matter what Lexus plans, it won’t be backwards compatible — that is, I’ll never have Carplay or Android Auto in my CT. Even so, I don’t feel like it matters. Nearly every interaction with my phone in the car is verbal, as Siri takes care of everything. If Apple was to open up voice commands to all apps, I wouldn’t need to look at a single screen while driving.
This CT 200h F SPORT was made possible by the folks at OpenRoad Lexus Richmond, the premier Lexus dealership in British Columbia and a proud sponsor of Lexus Enthusiast.
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