Geely just launched their new flagship, the KX11 or Xingyue L – an SUV with a 2.0L turbo engine and lots of screen inside. The infotainment screen event extends to the front passenger’s side of things. What’s still missing though, is Apple and Android capability.
Geely said they were working with Apple back in 2015 to put Apple CarPlay in their cars. It’s 2021 already and it’s still nowhere to be found. I asked Geely about this during the Q&A after the Xingyue L’s launch, and they were content with not having the premiere mobility apps in their cars.
According to Michael Song, the General Manager for Geely Automobile International Corp, there are many ways to connect to the vehicle via smartphone. One such way is QDLink which is available on their models here. He’s confident that the current system in their vehicles, including the recently launched Xingyue L, are adequate enough.
Adequate is such a vague term in the context of modern connectivity. Every person has different needs, but even if one hasn’t used Apple CarPlay or Android Auto yet, QDLink is a definite hassle.
QDLink literally only projects your phone to the screen, or in other times, with limited capability. It also demands that the smartphone be left unlocked. This means you can’t do anything else on it, like pass your phone to your shotgun rider to make messages or calls because it will remove the map on the car’s screen because again, basic mirroring. Add to this its basic connection issues like random disconnection and it’s no wonder it’s rated poorly in Google Playstore. Don’t even try reading the reviews.
For Geely’s part, Song said they consider the demands of the market and see the best system for them, but with the infotainment screen it seems their hands are tied. It’s unknown if integrating Apple or Android capability would be simple or would require a total overhaul of the system software, but either way it will be expensive.
The bigger picture remains that despite their growing popularity outside of their home country, they still don’t sell that much in order to cover the cost of this change and maintain their profit margin. Majority of their units are still inside the walled garden of China where there is no need for Apple and Android mobility apps so it makes sense not to invest in these mobility apps.
For now, you’re gonna have to stick with what the Geelys have. Once they rank higher in sales here in the country, who knows, maybe they’ll start thinking differently about this.
