FCA's Uconnect 5 debuts with wireless Apple CarPlay, Alexa and user profiles

The industry's leading infotainment system is about to go even further.

On Monday, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles unveiled its Uconnect 5 infotainment system platform.

The main feature is the ability to create user profiles, just like a computer. Up to five user profiles can be created, plus valet profiles. Preferences include seat and side mirror settings, instrument cluster layout, radio presets, etc.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto users can now connect wirelessly to the system, allowing up to two devices to connect simultaneously via Bluetooth.

Alexa is fully integrated into the system and functions via voice control buttons on the steering wheel. The system has home-to-car and car-to-home capabilities, allowing users to remotely start and lock their car, unlock and lock their home, and turn on their home's lights via Alexa at home or in their car.

Natural voice recognition is implemented so users can simply use "wake words" such as "Hey Chrysler" to give commands. For example, say, "Hey Chrysler, change the temperature to 70 degrees," and the system will change the temperature to 70 degrees, just like a virtual assistant.

Ralph Gilles, head of design at FCA, told Motor Authority that Uconnect 5 will lay the groundwork for years to come with a more responsive interface and wireless updates and upgrades.

Current systems can be upgraded with OTA updates via a 4G LTE connection, but only for system firmware; Uconnect 5 will feature Tom Tom-provided OTA system and navigation map updates.

Tom-based navigation systems can report real-time traffic conditions, change routes, and add destinations. The system tells the driver which lane to stay in to navigate complex intersections and on/off ramps. It also provides speed camera, traffic and hazard warnings, all of which are displayed in the meter cluster. The Last Mile Navigation feature provides walking directions from the vehicle to the final destination via the Uconnect smartphone app.

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The screen resolution is three times the current resolution and the Android-powered interface is five times faster with a 0.05 second response time. This is all made possible by a new electrical architecture, a 50-MIP (millions of instructions per second) chip, 6 gigabytes of RAM, and 64 gigabytes of flash memory.

The system resembles Uconnect 4, but this is for ease of use. However, it has a flat appearance compared to the 3D-shaded virtual buttons of the current system; FCA's new system uses depth in the interface to show the hierarchy of controls currently available, but there is a shadow of Ford's flat-look interface here There are.

The tiles on the homescreen can be reconfigured and customized like a smartphone with up to five pages that the user can swipe through, like on an iPad.

A new configurable status bar at the top of the screen provides quick and easy access to the functions drivers use most frequently.

While today's systems are sophisticated, certain functions are in hard-to-find places. This has been corrected in Uconnect 5, where various controls are grouped by category. For example, heated seats and steering wheel are located on the comfort page.

All Uconnect 5 systems come with a 4G LTE hotspot for three months.

FCA said Uconnect 5 will be available in 2020 vehicles; expect it to spread throughout the FCA lineup.