Toyota Entune - Turning Smartphone-owners Into SmartCar Owners
Published Saturday, 19 February, 2011 by Chris Dugan. Categories: Toyota, Technology.
A couple weeks or months ago I had posted a blog and Facebook post to Handy Toyota's blog and page respectively regarding the coming of a new system to Toyota cars called "Entune." At the time, Toyota Motors themselves were remaining tight-lipped regarding this new feature, and as far as the public is concerned there is hardly anything worth mentioning.Finally on February 18, 2011, Toyota pulled back the curtain on the program--at least to some extent--and let Toyota dealers know what's in store for their prized sales pieces. I'm not sure how much I can tell you, so as not to risk a breach of a proprietary information clause I'll give you the details that I know I can (because I've seen them printed elsewhere that is).
The Toyota Entune system will be coming out on the new 2012 Toyota Prius v which, if you've studied up on my blogging, is the official name for the 2012 Toyota Prius "minivan," although now that we've all seen images of this vehicle it's not really a minivan at all. It is actually a normal Prius with a bigger rear end and more cargo space, but regardless, it's earned the dubious honor of folks thinking it's a van. Regardless of what it is, this vehicle will be the first to get the new Entune head unit, meaning the radios available in many Toyota vehicles will now range through five possible options.
One of the main features of the Entune is safety. Toyota is well aware that we are all buying smartphones because, let's face facts, the "non-smartphone" is being phased out. They are also aware that all of these smartphones generally come with some kind of mapping/navigation application, either for free or really cheap, and they know that those that don't have one of these apps can easily use Bing, Google, or even Yahoo if the mood strikes them. Entune will come with a built-in Bing mobile version, allowing you quick access to maps that don't require you to take your eyes off the road for long. Sure, you'll still have to look at the map, but a large (up to) 7+ inch screen on the center of your console will surely be easier to view and navigate than a 3-inch iPhone screen.
Mapping isn't the end of this Entune system either; movie ticket prices, restaurant apps, and even internet radio will now be possible (once the system is released), and I for one am excited. As I've said before, we all use iPods, MP3 players of some kind, and internet radio to listen to exactly what we want. Why not make this an option in a car, where people listen to a large chunk of their music?
Over time, we'll report more on the coming application-heavy Entune system and its requirements and availability. Until then, keep your eyes glued to the Handy Toyota website and you'll be as privy as we are... or at least as privy as we're allowed to make you!
Chris Dugan
Handy Toyota
cdugan@handycars.com
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