That’s not exactly the equation, but that’s the idea. Anyone who buys a new Hyundai Equus — the car will be out in September — will receive an iPad instead of a printed owner’s manual.
“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.”
Besides interacting with the iPad to find the trunk-release switch in the new sedan or to locate the fuse box, owners will be able to use the iPad to schedule a service appointment online and arrange for a pickup to take the car in for maintenance. Mr. Krafcik said that additional programs would be installed on the device and that the iPad would be presented to customers in a leather slipcase.
The Wi-Fi retail version of the much-hyped iPad goes on sale this Saturday, with prices starting at $499. A more expensive version that can connect to the Web via 3G networks through the AT&T system is expected to arrive later this month.
