Getting Connected in the Car: MyLink Takes Phone Function On the Road
Desiree Landers Miller
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Staying Connected In Our Cars Is a Top Reason For A New Car Purchase
We all want to be connected everywhere, all the time, and that doesn’t stop in our cars. One of the hottest trends driving purchases in the automobile industry now is connected car technology.
Chevy’s MyLink is a touch-screen infotainment system
Does Technology Make Us Safer Drivers? Or Is It a Distraction?
Like all auto manufacturers and government watchdogs, the concern for safety is most important. Some argue any technology is a distraction for the driver. I remember my parents making that claim about me listening to the radio while I drove. I disagreed then, and I disagree now.
But Chevy’s connected car technology strategy is to take the inevitable—that people will want and need technology while in their cars—and blend it with intuitive design. The result is that controls are placed in the proper spots on the dashboard and provide better safety features than other options, such as driving around with one hand on the steering wheel and another on the phone. (And yes, I get that is illegal in many states, but so is speeding and we all know how that goes…I’m not condoning either practice).
Chevrolet Answers the Need With MyLink Technology
Chevy MyLink pairs your device with your vehicle, offering your own Pandora play lists, Stitcher’s music app and Sirius XM, all through your phone. These apps (and more) are displayed on the car’s touch screen and music and phone calls play through the car’s speakers. The system has a customizable touchscreen display and storage compartment (the cool hidden compartments are one of my favorite car features…they make me feel a bit like Bond).
Even more Bond-ish, you can use SIRI eyes-free functionality and text-to-voice capabilities on the MyLink system.
Starting in 2015 all GM models will also offer the holy grail of connectivity: OnStar 4G LTE. Considered the current fastest mobile data network, ten times faster than 3G, every car with this will function as its own little hotspot, allowing up to seven different gadgets to connect at once.
OnStar’s Wi-Fi hot spot with 4G LTE streaming speeds is fast enough to play movies while accessing the Internet and streaming music from Pandora.
New GM owners get the first three months included…or up to 3 gigs in the trial period. After that (this is so great), you can buy a data plan from $5 to $50 a month, or just for the weekend, or for a month or just for a week—based on what you need.
Phones or other devices can connect to the car via USB, Bluetooth or Wifi–your choice
We’re spending more and more time behind the wheel and technology is evolving every day as more and more people demand to be connected on the go.
Want To Know Exactly How Much Time You’re Spending In The Driver’s Seat? Click here.
Disclosure: A portion of my travel expenses were covered by Chevrolet but I was not compensated otherwise. As always, my opinion remains my own.
