It is hard to believe that it took until the year 2020 for the Android Auto media software to come to the motorcycle industry, but yet here we are – five years after the software’s initial release.
Available on Harley-Davidson motorcycles starting in March of this year, now we see that the Honda Gold Wing will also include Android Auto (the Gold Wing was the first motorcycle to have Apple CarPlay too, by the way).
Available as a software update on the Gold Wing (which will be available to download in June), the Android Auto package allows owners with Android-powered smartphones to connect seamlessly the music, phone calls, and messaging on their phones to their motorcycle.
The news from Honda is certainly welcomed, and it refreshing to see Harley-Davidson at the forefront of adopting this technology as well. We can think of a couple other brands that could benefit from the Android operating system.
While it is easy to chastise the motorcycle for being slow to adopt technology trends (because that is often the case), the reality with media infotainment systems is that companies like Apple and Google don’t give much priority to working with motorcycle manufacturers.
This comes from the relatively low volume of vehicles involved in these projects, which pale in comparison to the number of automobiles produced each year.
However, motorcycle companies should take note with the dash designs. At the end of the day, what the consumers really want is the ability to use the screen in their pocket, on their vehicles as well – whether that is through media platforms like Android Auto or CarPlay, mounts for smartphones, or a screen-casting feature.
Source: Honda & Harley-Davidson
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