Did you have a chance to play with the CT6 C.U.E. system on April 2nd, nightracerx? If so, what did you think?
Had a chance to sit in the auto show car in NY, didn't really test voice commands since it was flooded with journalists with noisy background. Here are my thoughts on the CUE in CT6:
Pros:
- Larger 10" compare to existing 8" units we have today. Allows five columns of icons instead of four we have today.
- Graphics are HD quality.
- Entire system is better integrated into the dashboard design so it looks like part of dashboard instead of a small gap in current units. CT6 interior trim quality is on par with ELR, very high quality material and craftsmanship.
- New apps integrated into the unit I didn't get to test out all, it was in demo mode and some features were locked. So far notably new is integration of Apple Carplay and Mirrorlink, also a 360 degrees view camera similar to many Infiniti models.
- Camera based rear view mirror is also neat, not part of CUE though.
- Touch pad is positioned perfectly at a very good ergonomic position, good response to touch commands.
Cons:
- It is a good responsive unit, better than current 2015 CUE units but still lacks the fluidity of many tablets.
- Unknown upgradability. This is one of the main complains with current CUE owners on function upgrades through software release. I didn't see any over the air upgrade function in menu options like Ford Sync 3 or Tesla, so it looks like one of the current deal you go to dealer to get firmware upgrades. I asked the GM rep on show floor about upgrades they didn't really answer and just said they are still making final tweaks to the system. Looks like a dead end unit like current CUE.
Overall I would say they improved the graphics and size of screen, also added touch pad to better compete with the German cars that have them.