Key Takeaways
Several 10 from now , when automotive historians take a look back at the first 20 or so years of the 21st century , they may realise the period as the " Telematics Era , " or perhaps the " Infotainment Age . "
We ’ve witnessed a rush in gadgets designed to keep us informed and entertain while on the move – initially from the automotive aftermarket . Now the car troupe themselves need in on the activity , and they ’re providing more and more complex , digitally connected doohickey as manufactory equipment .
Toyota , one of the world ’s turgid automakers , is placing its marker with a system it callsEntune . Using a driver’scellular phoneas a data carrier , Entune link up with a host of concierge - similar serving from inside an Entune - equipped Toyota vehicle .
Japan - based Toyota certainly is n’t the first to accede this field . Telematics system , a broad term that describes on - table electronics used to convey data about rubber , fomite location , fomite experimental condition and more , have been around for several years . Perhaps the most recognized of these systems isGM ’s OnStar service . More recently , Ford Motor Company has been gaining traction with itsSYNC service , which provides information , entertainment and all - around digital connectivity in concert with a gadget driver ’s electric cell speech sound .
In this clause , we ’ll focalize on the Entune system , take a feel at its features , the technologies that power it and how it ’s used .
rum to know what you ’ll find on an Entune - equip car ? Read the next Thomas Nelson Page to find out .
Toyota Entune Features
Entune debuted in 2011 with six marrow apps : Bing , iHeart Radio , MovieTickets.com , OpenTable , Pandoraand a catch - all category called " data service . " Here ’s a quick overview of each :
Bing : The Microsoft - indorse search locomotive is tune up to work with Entune as a point of interest ( POI , in diligence lingo ) finder . When the vehicle is parked , a touch - screen computer keyboard lets you type in search terms – if you do n’t know the name of a specific place , you’re able to figure a generic condition , like " nutrient , " and Bing will recover the public figure of eating place , food shop , even grocery shop , along with their locations and directions if you need them . A naturalvoice recognitionfeature kicks in for you to give voice commands if you ’re driving .
iHeart Radio : This avail gives you access code to more than 700 localradio post that are part of Clear Channel ’s internet across the country – no matter what urban center you ’re in .
MovieTickets.com : Ever go out and only had a vague idea of what you and your date wanted to do – maybe a movie , but not certain which one and where ? Now your poor planning does n’t have to provide ammo for dirty looks or a scolding – you may see what ’s performing , and where , on the fly , with this military service . It ’s even possible to buy the just the ticket from your car , for participating theatre of operations .
OpenTable : like to the MovieTickets.com app ( above ) , but practice to lunch and dinner reservations or else .
Pandora : In case you ’ve just woken up from a lengthycryogenic slumber , Pandora is thealgorithm - found online euphony religious service that tailors play list found on other songs you like – you mind to it at your PC . With Entune , you may get it in the auto as well .
data point services : So far , these services include throttle station price compare ( and directions ) ; current stock prices ; sports stacks ( with the ability to specifically track your favorite teams);traffic incidents(so you know what road to avoid ) , andweather , let in elongated forecasts , current temperature and radar maps .
Naturally , there ’s a atomic number 48 player ; but you may also get it with a DVD participant ( set up to toy only in " Park " ) , Sirius XMsatellite radioand the all digital HD Radio .
As high - technical school as the Entune unit is , the real technical heavy lifting is done by other devices . But do n’t vex about additional ironware purchase – in fact , you probably already own exactly what you ’ll need .
Toyota Entune Technologies
Entune bank heavy on wireless technology to do its affair . Using yourcell phone(and your postman ’s monthly data programme allotment ) as a information conduit , Entune is able to communicate with the remote servers that process your petition and feed them back as selective information on the car ’s navigation screen .
Providing the connection between your phone and the Entune system install in the car is a familiar system –Bluetooth . If , however , you feel the process of synching Bluetooth devices too troublesome , Entune can also pair up with your earphone using a obviously sure-enough USB cable .
Toyota engineers anticipated that the number and diversity of applications would eventually turn . similarly , there might be mathematical function update , bug fixes or other reasons Toyota or an Entune user wants to bring an older organization up to escort . Unlike a recall or expert service bulletin , you wo n’t have to lend an Entune - equip elevator car to a shop to update the organization . That ’s because the updates will happen over - the - melodic phrase , automatically .
When you make a request of Entune , like asking abouttraffic jamsalong your route orgetting a comparison of arena gas prices , the system use your phone ’s datum radio link to place the inquiry . A timer symbolic representation appears while you wait – sometimes several seconds – for the answer .
Powered byMicrosoft ’s Bing search railway locomotive , Entune is said to have more than 16 million point of sake that one can look up .
As it does use the cellular phone headphone meshwork to send information back and forth between Entune server and client ’s in - car whole , the organisation is vulnerable to reportage offspring . Presumably , tunnel , hilly country and anywhere else that cell phone receipt is spotty could make the arrangement sluggish or unresponsive .
Using Toyota Entune
Toyota officially introduced Entune at the yearly Consumer Electronics Show in January 2011 , making it usable for leverage on 2012 model year vehicle including the Prius V Three ( pronounced " vee , " not papistic numeric " five " ) , the Tacoma pickup and the popular Camry .
Pricing varies by fomite and trim level . It ’ll be useable on both Toyota ’s Display Audio and Premium HDD Navigation header unit systems .
" The chief social unit price will motley bet on the exemplar , as it will sometimes be packaged with other option , " says Greg Thome , manager of Toyota Division Communications . The first three years of Entune service are devoid , but after that , Toyota say an accession charge will apply . " Some simulation will have an Entune - capable [ Display Audio ] head building block standard , like the Prius V Three manakin , " Thome says .
Using Entune is n’t all that complicated : You just download the Entune coating from an " apps " store such asiTunes , Android Market or Blackberry Appworld to your earphone .
As of October 2011 , phone compatibility was still dicey : We adjudicate get into a few not - as - popular phones on the Entune Web site compatibility checker and generate the substance , " Sorry , your phone and vehicle combination has not been tested . "
Thome explained that Windows Mobile phones , for example , do not have the tone ofBluetoothneeded ( called SPP ) to support Entune – but if that ever changes Toyota would provide to them with Entune as well .
Once the app is on your compatible phone , you synchronize your phone with the Entune question unit of measurement , either by establishing a Bluetooth wireless connection between the two or by connecting them with a USB cable television service .
From there , it ’s only a topic of pressing the heavy " APPS " or " MAP " button on the dash to fetch up an on - screen carte du jour of your selection . With distracted aim a actual and prevailing problem on the road , many initial commentator have question the wisdom of shove even more data at equipment driver in the configuration of telematics devices like Entune . Toyota ’s solution has been to usevoice - realization software , selectable from a release on thesteering rack , so that equipment driver do n’t have to take their work force off the wheel or their eye off the road – as much .
Overall , the controls and commands appear to be pretty intuitive . But , if you are the command manual recitation type ( or just rum ) , you could find complete directions on theToyota Entune Web site .
So , will people really buy telematics systems such as Entune in significant numbers ? If the acceptance curve is anything like those for in - auto sailing andDVD players , it ’s credibly safe to say they will become more affordable and more bromide before long .
For more entropy on the Entune organization and other self-propelled applied science topics , follow the links on the next Sir Frederick Handley Page .
