Hondalink Infotainment System Revealed, Maserati Releases iOS App

Honda and Maserati are jumping into the advanced infotainment and app circus, with both revealing new options for customers and fans this week.

Honda's offering is called HondaLink. The application will allow 2013 Honda Accord owners to link their phone to the car's infotainment system, offering personalised news, weather and social media services.

"HondaLink will enable customers to put away their phone and still stay connected to the people, music and media they love,” American Honda's Vicki Poponi said.

“By creating an intuitive and customisable user interface, HondaLink allows drivers to access digital content as easily as choosing a radio station.”

HondaLink acts like personal cloud, allowing you to set up your feeds on your phone before you get into the car. Honda is also the first manufacturer to use Harman's Aha Radio service.

Aha is an aggregator of online and personal content, such as radio stations and books as well as news services, a way to set up your own personal radio station by pulling together various different feeds of your choice.

Additionally, the service uses existing sites such as Yelp! to help you find the nearest coffee shop, supermarket or whatever else you're looking for. Honda says there are more features on the way.

For owners of the new Fit (Jazz) EV and Accord plug-in hybrids, the HondaLink EV system adds the ability to view your battery's level of charge or kick off a recharge. You can also start the car's climate control before you set off.

Maserati's new app, Maserati Passion, can be downloaded by anyone. The application not only provides Maserati news and information, but also adds multimedia (such as the sound of a Maserati V8) and product information to the mix.

You can also configure your dream Maserati and save it as a wallpaper image on your phone or iPad. iPad users can also browse the Maserati shop and purchase clothing and other Maserati-branded accessories.

At the moment, HondaLink is only confirmed for the US market and will be available on both iOS and Android devices, while Maserati Passion is available on the iTunes App Store for iPad and iPhone.