How important is a car's infotainment system for a customer

They offer features like navigation, music, telephony, etc. but most of these tasks can be accomplished with a basic set of audio systems as well.

BHPian raptor_diwan recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

With the increasing popularity of infotainment systems in cars, featuring advancements like floating and on-screen displays, and the continuous growth in screen size, it raises the question of whether we truly need such sophisticated systems.

Do car enthusiasts find it indispensable, or is it just as crucial for regular users?

There are several reasons why people opt for infotainment systems, such as aesthetic appeal, access to songs, and navigation functionalities.

However, many of these tasks can be accomplished with a basic set of audio systems too, like using Bluetooth connections for music and calls and relying on navigation through smartphones. Does it genuinely impact your driving experience?

Recently, I checked and found that the price of infotainment systems starts from 10k and goes up to 50k, with a wide range of options in between. What do you believe should be the maximum acceptable price for an infotainment system?

Here's what BHPian robincsamuel had to say about the matter:

Yes, I think it's good to have an infotainment system. Sometimes I don't need directions for a route, but I might still look at the map occasionally. If I don't have a decent infotainment system, I'd only mount the smartphone when I seriously need navigation.

The infotainment unit's navigation views are often more detailed than a smartphone. The Kia infotainment system includes a split screen and a compass widget that provides information such as altitude and coordinates. And I check the altitude to get an idea of the remaining distance when driving over hills. I'd have never thought of checking that from my phone.

Moreover, infotainment system user interfaces are specifically designed for cars, with large text and buttons, while the smartphone screen is small and difficult to control when driving. Another advantage is the accessibility for co-passenger. Overall, I find it very convenient than a smartphone, considering my car use is mostly long highway trips. However, I understand that none of these would make sense if I'm only using the car for regular commutes or city driving.

That said, I'm not a fan of very big screens or playing videos while driving. Also, the lights from the screens alone can be painful during night drives. I think a system with an 8-10 inch screen, a dark user interface, and support for Android Auto/Apple CarPlay would work best. I'm not really sure about the price part, but 15-20k could be acceptable.

Here's what BHPian anandhsub had to say about the matter:

My Octavia comes with an in-built android auto, but on my old Verna, I used to use my smartphone mounted on an AC vent or dashboard.

Was once driving at highway speeds when suddenly the smartphone fell off the mount and into the footwell. Somehow managed to stop without any incident and stopped using navigation for the rest of the journey. The very next day splurged 35K on an android system and haven't ever used a mount since.

Here's what BHPian ssoni.1411 had to say about the matter:

Infotainment system's biggest advantage is the use of Google Maps and parking cameras IMHO. You don't need to look at your phone constantly while driving in an unknown location and you can always have a quick glance while driving. Also staying in places as crowded as Mumbai, parking cameras really help you park in tight spots.

Here's what BHPian Jeroen had to say about the matter:

In three out of my four cars, I still stream music from my phone, connected via a little wire to a cassette sitting inside the radio. On all these three cars I also have separate little nano iPods I can hook up to the cassette/radio as well.

My Spider apart from a radiocassette deck also has a 10 CD disc changer. Same on my Jaguar.

Our recent Fords had this Godawfull sync something from Ford. Ford could not update our maps for over 18 months.

So it is still me with a proper classic radio in the dash, with a cassette deck and iPod and for navigation, trust me, in Europe, nothing beats a TomTom proper GPS device with free updates across its WiFi, when you park in front of your house!

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.