It used to be that your new car came with two infotainment systems: a radio and a tape or CD player. (8-tracks were briefly a thing, too, though record players in cars didn’t quite catch on.) Now even basic-model cars come with complex infotainment systems, but they also come with a catch: subscriptions to services that you’ll have to renew if you decide to keep them. [More]
Infotainment
Lexus Owners Say Update Bricked Cars’ Navigation Systems
By 6.8.16
Just like your phone or computer, your web-connected car needs to get the occasional software update. Most of these system tweaks happen quietly without too much interruption to your life, but occasionally one goes wrong and you end up with a Lexus with navigation and infotainment systems that can’t be used because they are stuck in a reboot loop. [More]
Study: Car Infotainment Systems Remain A Distraction, Despite Voice Command Functions
By 10.22.15
While it’s handy to use voice commands to make phone calls or change the radio station in your car — instead of taking your hands off the wheel to do so — according to a new study, infotainment systems still provide a distraction for drivers. [More]
Regulators Investigating Harman Kardon After Remote Hack Of Jeep
By 8.3.15
UPDATE: A day after regulators announced they had opened an investigation into Harman Kardon to determine if vehicles – other than the recently recalled 1.4 million Fiat Chrysler models – equipped with certain infotainment systems were susceptible to remote hacks, the company assured investigators and consumers that the previously reported hack was an isolated incident. [More]
Report: Automakers Fail To Protect Connected Cars From Security, Privacy Hacks
By 2.9.15
The newest models of connected cars come with everything from built-in navigation and entertainment systems to roadside assistance. While these features might make life behind the wheel a little easier, a new report found that not enough has been done to adequately protect those components from hackers. [More]
