A Look at CarPlay and Android Auto | Auffenberg Hyundai O'Fallon IL

Smartphone “projected experiences” are poised to change how we interact with our cars. As these devices continue to be central hubs for nearly everything, drivers are also using them more during commutes. Bluetooth and auxiliary cables make it easy to stream music and take calls while behind the wheel, but other activities still require interaction with the smartphone itself, often making the experience cumbersome.Earlier this year, tech giants Apple and Google worked with select automakers to reveal features that enable deeper smartphone integration with the car, allowing drivers to access their Apple iOS or Android smartphones easily and safely. These features, named Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, leverage the vehicle’s integrated controls to help drivers access core functions like navigation, media, messaging and calling while also adding some new features.

Shoppers are excited and we’re working closely with both companies to bring these features to market as soon as possible. Since this summer, we’ve spent a lot of time demonstrating the latest versions of CarPlay and Android Auto to media and customers in our 2015 Sonata. The feedback has been great and we’re excited to tell more of the story at 2015 CES in just a few weeks.

Check out this excellent video by KBB’s Micah Muzio from the Los Angeles Auto Show where both Apple and Google engineers each give a tour of CarPlay and Android Auto, respectively, in our 2015 Sonata.

Hyundai hires actor Paul Rudd as pitchman [w/video] | Auffenberg Hyundai O'Fallon IL

The Dude abides, but his deep voice is going to be coming from your TV a little less. After seven years of his earthiness, laid back actor Jeff Bridges is no longer the voice of Hyundai in the brand's advertising. He has been replaced by comedian Paul Rudd who is already narrating the new commercial for the 2015 Hyundai Sonata.

"We were looking for a voice that could be recognizable and relatable to a new generation of car buyers," said Steve Shannon, vice president of Marketing, Hyundai Motor America, in the company's announcement of the deal. "Rudd can be serious, humorous, informative and entertaining all at the same time."

According to Hyundai spokesperson Derek Joyce speaking to Autoblog, the deal with Rudd goes for the next three years. "He's our tier one voice, and that's going to affect tone" in the company's ads," Joyce said. The first spot with Rudd is titledCo-Pilot, and it stars a backseat driver losing out to the Sonata's navigation system and safety features at every turn. Rudd isn't physically in the commercial but does the ending voiceover. The company wouldn't say when the next ad with the new pitchman might debut.