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Suzuki "Alto" is a mini vehicle that started selling in 1979, and it was announced that the cumulative domestic sales reached 5 million units in 2016 and reached 5.26 million units as of December 2021. , It is a car that has recorded sales that can be said to be the best seller. In December 2021, the 9th generation new Alto was launched and is as popular as the previous model. [See another image about this article] In such a new model of Alto, "display audio" equipped with a new 7-inch display is set as a manufacturer option, and although there are slight differences in functions, it is installed. can. This time, I would like to introduce what kind of usability the display audio of the new Alto is, and what I learned by riding the actual car. ■ Display audio with omnidirectional monitor can be selected in the top model HYBRID X His Suzuki's new Alto has four major grades, "HYBRID X", "HYBRID S", "L" and "A". There is. X and S with HYBRID have a small hybrid mechanism called a so-called mild hybrid, and L and A do not have a mild hybrid mechanism. In all models, the standard audio is audioless (that is, the center console is blindfolded and no car navigation system is installed), so select the car navigation system set as a dealer option. It is possible. Also, one of the major features is that the ADAS function is installed as standard. The twin-lens camera mounted on the front window provides functions such as collision damage mitigation brake (a function that automatically brakes the vehicle when an accident is likely to occur), lane departure warning, preceding vehicle start notification function, and high beam assist. Be prepared. I cannot help but be surprised that we are now in an era where even light vehicles are equipped with these as standard equipment. Of course, these ADAS-related functions also improve safety, but the function to notify the start of the preceding vehicle is actually very convenient. If you're a driver, you've probably experienced the fact that you're operating the air conditioner when you stop at a traffic light, and you're late in noticing that the car in front has started, and the person behind you makes a popping sound. If there is a preceding vehicle start notification function, the vehicle will notify you with a sound or screen when the preceding vehicle starts, so you can prevent that and reduce the inconvenience to the drivers around you. It's a convenient function. Also, the function that the vehicle automatically distinguishes between high beam and low beam and switches between them is very convenient in an environment where high beams are used a lot, and I think it is wonderful from the viewpoint of reducing driver's operation and reducing fatigue. Another major feature of the new Alto is that Suzuki's first domestic car has display audio as a manufacturer's option. For HYBRID X, a maker option called "display audio with omnidirectional monitor" can be selected, and for HYBRID S, L, A, a maker option called "display audio with back-eye camera" can be selected. The big difference between the two is that the display audio with an omnidirectional monitor has four cameras in front, back, left and right and a head-up display, and the display audio with a back-eye camera has only one rear camera and no head-up display. become. In the case of an omnidirectional monitor, cameras are prepared at four locations, the right side of the front grill (when viewed from the driver's seat), the bottom of the left and right mirrors, and the doorknob of the rear hatchback door, and the four image data are displayed. By synthesizing in real time, it will be possible to check the information around the car in the bird view (viewpoint seen from the bird). For example, if you use this when backing up, you can back up while checking where your vehicle is currently (this point will be described later). The head-up display is a display in which the image is projected from the bottom on a transmissive lens mounted in front of the driver's seat, and various information can be displayed without obstructing the driver's field of view. .. This transmissive lens is stored in the dashboard when the engine is off, and the lid automatically opens and comes out when the ignition mode is set. Functions such as tachometer, intersection display, instantaneous fuel consumption, air conditioner information are provided, and as will be described later, if you are using Android Auto, display instructions for turning left or right at the intersection in conjunction with Google Maps. Can be done. ■ Display audio that is very convenient for those who are familiar with smartphones The display audio installed in this new Alto is being adopted by vehicles in the popular price range (around 1 million yen to around 2 million yen). The so-called "car navigation" (hereinafter referred to as "car navigation") has been seated on the center console of a car for a long time, and it has a higher attachment rate than overseas (standard equipment at the time of purchase, or the rate at which it is installed as a manufacturer / dealer option). ) Has become a feature of the Japanese market. It is no exaggeration to say that car navigation systems have been considered to be indispensable equipment in the Japanese automobile scene. In such a market situation, display audio has recently appeared and is reaching the stage of widespread use. Speaking of display audio, there are many people who have a slightly negative perception that the most important function of car navigation is "a low-priced car navigation system with fewer functions than car navigation systems". Certainly, by omitting the navigation function, display audio can be manufactured cheaper than car navigation, and the price is also cheaper than car navigation, if you compare car navigation and display audio of aftermarket products. Obviously it's not wrong. However, when it comes to the fact that display audio has fewer functions, that is not always the case. The reason is that display audio is used as a set with a smartphone (iPhone or Android smartphone) to realize car navigation functions and audio playback functions (technically, the screen and sound of the smartphone are displayed on the display. become). For this reason, in the same way that smartphones can be expanded with apps published on the App Store (Apps Store, Google Play Store), display audio can also be expanded with apps, which is a fixed function. It will be the biggest difference from the car navigation system. However, not all smartphone apps can be used with display audio, and only some apps that support display audio can be used. Another big difference is that the smartphone is always connected to the internet line, and not only the data stored in the local storage but also the data stored in the storage on the internet side called the cloud can be utilized. A typical example is map data, which is not always connected to the Internet in a general car navigation system, so map data only refers to data in local storage. Recently, car navigation systems where map data is updated as frequently as once every few months have become common, and due to user convenience (the biggest reason is that it is troublesome), it is updated once a year. Or the reality is once every few years. Then, the data of the road immediately after opening is not reflected, and it is a common sight that if you drive on a new highway, you will drive on a road without a road. Map data such as Google Maps used by Display Audio as a navigation app can be saved as cache (temporary data) in local storage, but it is basically located in the cloud, and if necessary, an internet connection is available. It is a mechanism to access via. For this reason, the map data is updated daily, and the data on the expressway that just opened yesterday is already reflected the next day. Such "up to date" can be said to be an advantage of display audio. In this way, display audio + smartphones also have advantages, but they also have disadvantages. For example, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto cannot play videos on the display on the vehicle side, it is just a display without a smartphone, and the navigation function is not specialized for Japan. I would like to carefully consider these advantages and disadvantages and choose whether the conventional car navigation system is good or the display audio is good. In the case of the new Alto introduced this time, the display audio is a manufacturer option, and if you think that the conventional car navigation system is better, you can select it as a dealer option. Of course, it is also possible to install an aftermarket car navigation system in the form of audioless. ■ All you need to do is connect your smartphone with the USB-A terminal. Easy feeling that you can search for a destination only by voice This time, we checked the actual usability with a test drive equipped with the manufacturer option of display audio with omnidirectional monitor on the new Alto HYBRID X. The display audio installed in this Alto has a 7-inch display size, and it corresponds to two types of smartphones, Apple CarPlay for Apple's iPhone and Android Auto for smartphones equipped with Google's Android OS. ing. In order to connect the smartphone to the vehicle, it is necessary to connect to the USB terminal on the center console (the so-called A terminal, which is a conventional USB terminal with upper and lower parts). For this reason, according to the smartphone, the cable called A terminal (vehicle side) -Lightning terminal (smartphone side) for iPhone, A terminal (vehicle side) -C terminal (smartphone side) or A terminal (vehicle) for Android smartphones. Side)-A cable called MicroB terminal (smartphone side) is required. Recently, the number of vehicles that can connect wirelessly (using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth) is increasing for Apple CarPlay compatible devices, but this Alto display audio does not support wireless connection. If you can connect wirelessly, once you connect with a cable for pairing, you do not have to connect the cable that is automatically connected wirelessly, so for example, you can use Apple CarPlay even if you leave your smartphone in the bag. It is possible and convenient. In that sense, I wanted Bluetooth to be supported if possible, but I'd be happy if future versions could support it. In addition, Android Auto itself does not support wireless connection in Japan, so this new Alto also does not support it (this is not a limitation on the vehicle side, but a restriction on the Android Auto side. ). Next to the USB-A terminal on the center console, there is a space that just says "please put your smartphone". This time, I prepared a slightly longer cable, but if you want to continue using it, if you prepare a short cable such as 10 cm or 20 cm, you will not get entangled or disturbed by the extra cable, so it is convenient. It's a good idea to have a short code, both from a point of view and from a point of view of aesthetics. In addition to the USB-A terminal for display audio on the center console, there are also two USB-A terminals on the passenger seat side. This is for power supply only, and it is possible to charge devices such as smartphones and routers. It's nice to be able to charge the smartphones of people sitting in the passenger seat and people in the back seat at the same time. In addition, although it is a standard function of Apple CarPlay / Android Auto itself, if you press and hold the voice recognition button on the steering wheel on the vehicle side, you can use the voice search function of Apple CarPlay / Android Auto without touching the screen. be able to. Of course, this function can also be used in Alto, and if you press and hold the voice search button on the steering, Siri will be called for Apple CarPlay and Google Assistant will be called for Android Auto to use the voice search function. A general car navigation system may also have a voice search function, but most of the time, it is a command format, and you can only search by following the hierarchy like "destination setting, address ...", whereas smartphones With Apple CarPlay / Android Auto, which uses, just say "Search for a route to where" in natural language, just like the voice search function of a smartphone. For example, if you perform a voice search using Siri or Google Assistant, such as "Search the route to 1-105 Kanda Jimbocho, Chiyoda-ku (editing department address) with Google Maps", the route to the destination will be drawn. All you have to do is press a button such as "Departure" on the screen. ■ Music playback can be used as it is with the music application used on the smartphone, and it can be played by voice. The usability of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in the new Alto, but as mentioned above, the wireless connection with Apple CarPlay is not supported. Except for, there is no excess or deficiency, and it can be used in the same way as other vehicle models. For example, if you connect and use an iPhone with Apple CarPlay, you can use Apple's subscription-type music service "Apple Music." In my case, I already use Apple Music on my smartphone or PC, and I don't have any music files locally. Therefore, if you can't use Apple Music, you can't play music. Before I started using Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, I used to connect via Bluetooth, but every time I went to see a playlist, I had to touch my smartphone, which was a hassle. Also, even if the car navigation system itself has a function to play music files, it is necessary to copy the music data saved in the PC to an SD card etc., which is undeniably troublesome. However, if you use Apple Music with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, you can follow playlists and libraries to find the song you want from the display audio display on the center console, and the music files are Even if you don't have it on your smartphone, you can access the cloud, download it automatically, and play it. Also, if you say "Play Southern All Stars" using the voice search function of Siri or Google Assistant mentioned above, it will play Southern All Stars songs, which is modern. In particular, the ability to change playlists and artists using voice recognition is very convenient, and it's safe without even touching the display, so I highly recommend it to 120 million people. In addition, there is a schedule function that allows you to check the schedule of the day without looking at the screen of the smartphone, and when you click the address of the destination from the schedule of the smartphone, the map software will automatically start and the destination will be displayed. It is also convenient to be able to set it with almost one touch. If it is a conventional car navigation system, it can be said that there is a big difference in usability, considering that it was searched in the hierarchy of Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, etc., and it was searched by inputting with the difficult-to-use Japanese syllabary keyboard. As a function for display audio peculiar to this Alto, there is a function of linking the navigation function of Google Maps of Android Auto and the head-up display. However, not all navigation is guided, but it is displayed on the head-up display when the driver needs to operate the steering wheel, such as going straight or turning left or right. The head-up display is located higher than the meter cluster, so you can see it without looking down at the meter. In other words, you can check the information while facing forward with almost no loss of sight, so it is very grateful to be able to visually tell whether you are going straight, turning right, or turning left while driving. When you put the gear in the back, it is a normal vehicle, but it switches to the back camera and the rear of the vehicle is displayed on the display. On the other hand, the new Alto HYBRID X + display audio with omnidirectional monitor automatically switches to bird view and rear camera image. Using four cameras on the left side, 360 degrees around the vehicle is displayed as a composite image in bird view, and the image of the back camera is displayed on the right side. If there is a car in the vicinity, the bird view can be used to grasp the distance to the car, and the back camera image can be used to understand which direction the vehicle is currently facing toward the parking space. be able to. For those who are not good at putting in the garage, this is a very nice feature. You may be wondering if it is expensive because it has a lot of such functions, but the manufacturer price of the new Alto HYBRID X (2WD, CVT) is 1,259,500 yen, and the manufacturer's option display audio with omnidirectional monitor. The price is 112,200 yen, for a total of 1,371,700 yen. Since taxes will be charged here, will the total amount be less than 1.5 million yen? At present, the price of a domestic compact car in the B segment is about 2.2 to 2.5 million yen when considering that it has ADAS and display audio, so it means that you can buy it at a price close to 1 million yen cheaper than that. This good cost performance can be said to be "unique to the best-selling Alto".
Car Watch, Kazuki Kasahara
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