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One of the big questions readers ask about the recently released Proton X50 is the lack of functionality from Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Geely Key’s latest in-car user interface, GKUI 19, is one of the most advanced infotainment systems on the market, but it doesn’t come with these two features that are becoming common in Malaysia.
Our Chinese-speaking colleague Jason Chung wrote a great article to explain why. Given that Proton’s partner Geely is a Chinese brand, it is not surprising to find that the decision not to support these operating systems in cars has a lot to do with China.
You see, the Middle Kingdom has blocked Google, Facebook and their respective services as part of a statewide censorship operation. This has had the ripple effect of dramatically reducing the number of apps you can use on Apple CarPlay in the country, such as Google Maps, Waze, and WhatsApp. Android Auto isn’t even available there; on the other hand, it is not officially supported in Malaysia either.
The restrictions placed on international companies, coupled with the sheer competitiveness of the local tech industry, mean that Chinese users simply prefer their own applications and services. Navigation apps like Alibaba’s AutoNavi (which powers the navigation system in the X50, by the way) and music streaming services like Tencent’s QQ Music take the place of big names that aren’t available in China, like Spotify.
These services are usually natively integrated into the car’s infotainment system or can be used in indigenous screen mirroring services like Baidu CarLife. As such, there is little incentive for Chinese automakers to invest in infotainment systems compatible with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, and while some brands have made the effort, Geely is not one of them.
What does all that have to do with us, you ask? Well the answer is cost. Proton may be part of the Geely group, but the fact is that Malaysia is a small market in the grand scheme of things. The domestic automaker’s input is limited to translating the GKUI system from Chinese to English (by the way, the system is only capable of a single main language, so stop clamoring for a BM version) and localizing certain functions with the help of a local set. venture company, ACO Tech.
Developing a new version of the GKUI system that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto would cost a lot of money, which would not make sense given the small user base. At the moment, customers are provided with the QDLink smartphone connectivity feature, which offers MirrorLink functionality for Android users and a rudimentary screen mirroring feature for iOS devices.
Could Apple CarPlay and Android Auto finally find their way to future protons? Perhaps with sufficient demand, the company could justify spending the extra money to build a compatible system. Another possibility would be through the European market: Lynk & Co will bring GKUI to the continent later this year, and with the increased demand for these features there, Geely could be forced to add them to the system. The functionality could then be leaked to the Proton models; we’ll just have to wait and see.
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