Mazda is finally bringing touchscreens to its vehicles, improving Android Auto and CarPlay

Android Auto and CarPlay proceed to be an enormous promoting level for brand spanking new vehicles, however for years now, Mazda vehicles have lacked the touchscreen wanted to actually get pleasure from these infotainment experiences. Now, that’s finally beginning to change.

In Mazda automobiles, the infotainment show has lengthy been managed by the “commander knob” that sits within the cabin close to the gear shifter. The knob helps directional enter in addition to scrolling and a press to choose content material on display screen. This works rather well in Mazda’s native OS, however Android Auto and Apple’s CarPlay are extra optimized for touchscreen enter. Navigating by way of these phone-based platforms typically generally is a bit annoying with a knob in contrast to a touchscreen, and throughout its newest redesign, Android Auto even briefly broke knob enter.

Starting with the 2024 Mazda CX-5, the infotainment display screen is shifting from solely providing these knob rotary controls to additionally equipping a touchscreen.

Mazda is bringing a touchscreen to all trims of the most recent CX-5 for the ten.25-inch infotainment show, and it would work with each Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Mazda explains in a press launch (H/T: The Autopian):

The 10.25″ full-color middle show options the most recent Mazda Connect infotainment system that may be managed with the multi-function commander knob and is built-in with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto that now characteristic touchscreen performance.

This received’t change something for present Mazda homeowners, but it surely stands to motive that extra future Mazda automobiles will even undertake the brand new enter methodology. That would possibly take a short time, although. The 2024 CX-50m, which was introduced in mid-July, doesn’t get a touchscreen, nonetheless counting on the commander knob, and the 2024 Mazda3 additionally doesn’t but have a touchscreen.

The 2024 Mazda CX-5 will arrive at dealerships later this Fall beginning at $29,300.

More on Android Auto:

• Android Auto will get a Google Maps redesign with sidebar
• Android Auto 10.0 is rolling out, and there’s a slick new redesign for Google Assistant too
• Android Auto is including new options for electrical automobiles