When Honda included Apple CarPlay with the fully redesigned 2018 Honda Gold Wing lineup, everyone with an iPhone cheered. It was the first motorcycle to have that advanced travel software onboard. However, those with Android phones wondered, “What about me?” It has taken a couple of years, but the Android Auto app will now be included in the Honda Gold Wing and Gold Wing Tour models beginning in mid-June 2020. The best part is that the software is backward compatible to 2018 and newer Gold Wings, and it’s free.
Android Auto uses Google Assistant, voice activation, and a simplified interface to work in a two-wheel environment. The idea is to reduce distractions so the rider can focus on the road as much as possible. The hands-free design means riders keep their hands on the grips and eyes on the road.
The abilities provided by Android Auto are wide-ranging, including playing music, enjoying audiobooks, consuming podcasts, keeping abreast of news reports, and listening to messages, plus making and receiving phone calls (cellular and Skype). For touring, Android Auto gives you direct access to essential navigation apps such as Google Maps and Waze.
You are no longer restricted to listening to the music downloaded onto your Android phone, as Spotify, YouTube Music, IHeartRadio, Amazon Music, and others are part of the Android Auto’s available and customizable suite of applications. Plus, you have direct access to dozens of radio station apps, ranging from music to talk radio. Android Auto works with Android phones running on 5.0 or later software.
Although Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are only available with 2018 and new Gold Wing models, Honda tells us that the availability of the two features will be to other Honda motorcycles. Right away, we can see the value of these features in adventure models, such as the Honda Africa Twin CRF1100.