Everyone is leveraging the anticipation and excitement surrounding the iPad, including car companies.
Hyundai announced yesterday that anyone purchasing a new Equus sedan, which is set to go on sale in September, will receive a shiny new iPad pre-loaded with the vehicle owner’s manual and other specialty apps- and no it wasn’t an April Fool’s joke.
New owners of the $50K+ ultra-luxury Hyundai can use their iPad to schedule service appointments Online, arrange a pick-up for scheduled maintenance and more as the company adds its own apps aimed directly at owners. In addition, the iPad will be presented to new owners in a leather slipcase upon purchase.
“Who reads a 300-page manual anyway?” asked John Krafcik, the chief executive of Hyundai North America. “Instead, they’ll have a gorgeous color touchscreen loaded with the manual electronically, as well as photos of the whole Hyundai lineup.”
Though I don’t think an iPad would be the tipping point for consumers considering a Hyundai purchase, it sure doesn’t hurt. I’ve always wondered by car companies don’t develop more mobile apps to interact with their vehicles- Hyundai will hopefully be the first of many.
