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A $20k American-made electric pickup with no paint, no stereo, no screen

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1329 points kwindla | 3 comments | 25 Apr 25 15:01 UTC | HN request time: 0.631s | source
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danans ◴[25 Apr 25 15:40 UTC] No.43794785[source]▶
From the related Ars article[1]:

> Rather than relying on a built-in infotainment system, you'll use your phone plugged into a USB outlet or a dedicated tablet inside the cabin for your entertainment and navigation needs.

How is a "dedicated tablet" different than an infotainment system, other than not having vehicle telematics and controls? Also, a regular tablet UX would be dangerous while driving, and typically they don't have their own mobile data connections.

1. https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/04/amazon-backed-startup-w...

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1. shayway ◴[25 Apr 25 15:53 UTC] No.43794964[source]▶
Not being built-in is significant. Infotainment systems tend to get outdated, and are also a common point of failure that can be expensive to fix, so not having the tablet hardwired in allows for people to choose their own setup and is also more future-proof.
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2. danans ◴[25 Apr 25 16:22 UTC] No.43795441[source]▶
> Infotainment systems tend to get outdated, and are also a common point of failure that can be expensive to fix

Android Auto and CarPlay solve that problem for navigation/communication/entertainment. The automakers aren't going to provide an open API to the vehicle control systems, for both competitive and safety reasons.

What would be nice is the old fashioned DIN interface, where you could install an aftermarket AA/CarPlay unit like this:

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/pioneer-10-1-hd-screen-luminous...

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3. kcb ◴[25 Apr 25 16:40 UTC] No.43795720[source]▶
> Android Auto and CarPlay solve that problem for navigation/communication/entertainment.

I can definitely see a day where Apple or Google decide to discontinue support on vehicles older than 201x that lack some new hardware specification.