Debuting with the all-new 2013 Honda Accord is a new cloud-based connectivity system called HondaLink?.

It will be the first original equipment application of Aha? developed by Harman to provide a personalized experience connecting drivers to thousands of cloud-based news, information and entertainment feeds from around the world, using an intuitive, audio-system based interface.

?HondaLink will enable customers to put away their phone and still stay connected to the people, music and media they love,? said Vicki Poponi, assistant vice president of product planning for American Honda. ?By creating an intuitive and customizable user interface, HondaLink allows drivers to access digital content as easily as choosing a radio station.?

The smartphone application allows owners to preset content on their phone, then once in their car, they can access personalized content using voice recognition, steering-wheel mounted controls and in-dash audio system controls.? The tethered smartphone provides the connection with the abundant cloud-based media.

?Honda?s strategy is about leveraging the cloud to bring a wealth of new information and services to Honda owners,? said Charles Koch, American Honda manager of new business development. ?This is the next evolution of the connected car and the connected customer.?

Through the Aha service, for example, HondaLink users can listen to Facebook and Twitter audio newsfeeds, podcasts from NPR, location-based personalized restaurant listings from Yelp!, and access internet music services such as Slacker. The service is free and instantly accessible from the cloud.

Honda says the user-friendly system requires infrequent smartphone software updates, with in-vehicle content and channel access updating simply and automatically throughout the vehicle life. ?Like all Internet services, the HondaLink system will grow and expand as new programs become available.