Just a few years ago, not many gearheads would have predicted that one of the most hotly contested automotive battlegrounds these days wouldn't be under the hood, but in the dash. Infotainment head units to be exact. Bigger screens with higher resolution and more voice and touch-controlled features comprise the holy grail, and now Chevrolet has thrown down the gauntlet with a new in-dash system created in conjunction with consumer electronics giant LG.
Significantly, this new iteration of the MyLink platform will debut in the division's lowest priced cars, the Chevy Sonic and Spark, illustrating the increasing democratization of the connected car.
Features such as a 7-inch color touch screen demonstrate there are similarities to the MyLink system featured in the 2013 Chevy Malibu. But there differences as well
In a nod to the increasing importance of smartphone interoperability, these new units won't contain a CD drive. Instead, they'll use smartphone apps, such as Pandora Internet radio, to access cloud-based content and navigation. Other features include cloud-based audio sources, USB connectivity for images and video and Bluetooth streaming,
Seeing as Ford Sync has a four-year headstart, only time will tell how much game -- and apps -- MyLink truly has.
-- Eric Hiss, Contributor
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