Holden begins its CarPlay and Android Auto overhaul

While in-car entertainment units have long been a major selling point for car manufacturers, the trend towards simply expanding the functionality of the driver's smartphone is becoming more and more common.

Holden has committed to supporting both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in its head units, with last year's Captiva models the first to get the functionality.

Now, iOS and Android users can enjoy the experience of their devices while driving Holden's upcoming Spark and Insignia vehicles too.

With the arrival on Holden's new affordable Spark hatch, access to CarPlay and Android Auto has become much more accessible.

Auto-playing the Android car

Holden appears to be committed to the use of both Android Auto and CarPlay. While not explicitly saying that all new cars moving forward would support the phone projection technologies, Holden representatives did express to techradar that it was something the company was working on rolling out across the range.

Integration with Holden's own entertainment system, on both CarPlay and Android Auto, requires users to connect their devices via a USB cable, which automatically creates a custom screen on the car's head unit that mirror's your phone.

From there, controlling your screen actually controls your device, from opening maps to receiving a message. The best part is that both CarPlay and Android Auto support voice controls via Siri or Google Now, so you can dictate messages or emails while you drive.