2013 Honda Accord Gets a New Cloud-Based HondaLink Connected Car System

Honda has just announced some of the new technology that we can expect in the all-new 2013 Honda Accord that arrives this fall. The new Accord will be available with Honda’s new connectivity system, HondaLink that will feature the first automotive application of Aha by Harman.

HondaLink logo
Honda has just announced some of the new technology that we can expect in the all-new 2013 Honda Accord that arrives this fall. The new Accord will be available with Honda’s new connectivity system, HondaLink that will feature the first automotive application of Aha by Harman. HondaLink will provide a personalized experience connecting drivers to thousands of cloud-based news, information and entertainment feeds from around the world, using an intuitive, audio-system based interface.

“HondaLink will enable customers to put away their phone and still stay connected to the people, music and media they love,” said Vicki Poponi, assistant vice president of product planning for American Honda. “By creating an intuitive and customizable user interface, HondaLink allows drivers to access digital content as easily as choosing a radio station.”
HondaLink screen

Honda’s new HondaLink smartphone application allows owners to preset content on their phone. Once in the car, consumers can enjoy personalized content accessible via voice recognition, steering-wheel mounted controls and in-dash audio system controls. With a tethered smartphone serving as a conduit to a wealth of cloud-based media, HondaLink creates a unique, connected driving experience.

“Honda’s strategy is about leveraging the cloud to bring a wealth of new information and services to Honda owners,” said Charles Koch, American Honda manager of new business development. “This is the next evolution of the connected car and the connected customer.

HondaLink app stations

Through the Aha service, for example, HondaLink users can listen to Facebook and Twitter audio newsfeeds, podcasts from NPR, location-based personalized restaurant listings from Yelp!, and access internet music services such as Slacker. The service is free and instantly accessible from the cloud.