Honda, Acura Integrate Advanced CarPlay with Smart Garage Features

Honda and Acura are taking CarPlay integration to the next level by introducing support for smart garage door openers within their respective CarPlay apps. This new feature aims to bring compatibility with non-HomeKit-enabled smart garage doors to CarPlay users.

The Integration Process

In collaboration with Chamberlain Group's myQ Connected Garage service, Honda is making this integration possible, says a 9to5 Mac report. While HomeKit already integrates with CarPlay to offer garage door information and control options, this new partnership will extend these capabilities to a wider range of smart garage doors that are not HomeKit-compatible.

Many garage door openers today, such as those from LiftMaster and other Chamberlain brands, are myQ-enabled, making them compatible with the new integration. Users with a myQ-enabled garage door opener will not need to make any additional hardware purchases.

For those with older-style garage door openers, Honda offers a solution. According to the Next Big What, they provide a "myQ Smart Garage Control device" that can be used to upgrade the opener. As a bonus, Honda will provide this device for free to users who sign up for a 30-day demo subscription.

After the trial period, Honda's smart services subscription, including access to the garage door control feature, costs $129 for a three-year or $179 for a five-year subscription. Additionally, Honda offers the "myQ Smart Garage Control device" free to users whose garage door hardware is incompatible with myQ. Users must sign up for the 30-day trial of Honda's smart services subscription to take advantage of this offer.

Usage and Functionality

Garage door control features are accessible through the CarPlay apps for HondaLink and AcuraLink, both available on the App Store. Notably, CarPlay users can set up a geofence that prompts the app to display a notification for opening or closing the garage door based on the user's current location. Additionally, users can manually control the garage door through the HondaLink or AcuraLink app via CarPlay.

According to Honda, all their 2023 and 2024 vehicle models support this new CarPlay feature. The company also mentions that "millions of older Honda and Acura models" with CarPlay will be compatible, although further details have yet to be disclosed.

Interested users can download the latest versions of the HondaLink and AcuraLink apps from the App Store to explore more about these CarPlay features and set them up.

Photo: Honda Newsroom