How Apple and Google are taking over car infotainment

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › How Apple and Google are taking over car infotainment

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

18009 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 8465

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2063946 28-Jul-2018 10:44

Do cars come with both the Apple and Android versions of this stuff loaded or are you forced to choose the car based on the system if that is important to you? What happens if you have, say, an iPhone when you buy the car but a couple of years later you get a Galaxy?

FineWine

3115 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2446

Trusted

Nurse (R)

Lifetime subscriber

#2063950 28-Jul-2018 10:53

Correct me if I am wrong but does not Apple CarPlay "Mirror" your iPhone to the cars infotainment system via the Lightening cable for; music, maps, audiobooks, imessage and Siri but BT's your phone calls.

This then takes the responsibility of software updates, CarPlay, out of the car makers hands and leaves it entirely with Apple.

Whilst the difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a bit longer. However, miracles you will have to wait for.

NzBeagle

971 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 128

Trusted

#2063954 28-Jul-2018 10:58

Pleasing that it supports both platforms. And it's as far as I can tell it doesn't remove any of the existing platform. So it's great for those that want the option. I have found Android auto great and have used the app both with a compatible car and without.
Its not a deciding factor but a tick in the pro column in my view.

tdgeek

30048 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9455

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2063956 28-Jul-2018 11:06

surfisup1000:

frednz:

With regard to navigation in your car, would you prefer to use Android Auto with a smart phone, or for the vehicle to have a built-in navigation system that doesn't require the use of a smart phone?

What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of each of these systems?

Google maps is the best navigation software, best real time updates and very accurate predictive ETA. So, carplay with google maps would be good in that respect.

Car manufactured systems just don't have the same level of AI, and can be laggy. Our USA ford edge rental GPS was OK, but when we wanted better routing/info, would swap to the phones google maps.

An advantage of car navigation is that they receive vehicle telemetry information which can supplant gps data when reception is patchy. eg, driving through a tunnel the inbuilt gps can estimate position using the vehicle speed data. Maybe even the wheel direction if that is digitised, which i bet it is.

In general car manufacturers cannot get their control systems right. It started with that stupid bmw 7 series with the central rotating knob controlling everything.

The best control system for heating controls are knobs and sliders which can be operated eyes closed. My older toyota beach car has easier controls than the new car.

Agree. A built in car GPS analogises with a Smart TV. One day it may lose functionality or be less functional than the others. Id like to choose, and have my GPS not tied to a car, its tied to what I want to use now, and if that changes tomorrow, I still have it.

MikeB4

MikeB4
18776 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 12767

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#2064000 28-Jul-2018 11:21

Geektastic:

Do cars come with both the Apple and Android versions of this stuff loaded or are you forced to choose the car based on the system if that is important to you? What happens if you have, say, an iPhone when you buy the car but a couple of years later you get a Galaxy?

Our Cars have both Apple and Google flavours. We both currently use Android but that could change depending on whats in the market

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

alasta

6891 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3365

Trusted

Subscriber

#2064037 28-Jul-2018 12:10

'Stuff' is not a reliable source of information, but Mazda Australia have confirmed that they will offer a retrofit in Q4 of this year so it seems likely that Mazda NZ will follow suit at some point.

I personally find the MZD user interface horrible compared with the user experience of my iPhone, so I will get the upgrade if it's not outrageously expensive.

My main reservation around CarPlay is that the vast majority of implementations of it currently require you to physically plug in your phone, and it seems like it would be a pain to do this every time you get in the car. Apple's philosophy is to try to do everything wirelessly and there is even speculation that they could ditch the lightning port in the next five years. That suggests that if you buy a car today with CarPlay that requires the use of a cable then you could end up unable to use it if you upgrade to a new iPhone in a couple of years without a lightning port.

Lenovo

Shop now for Lenovo laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

Geektastic

18009 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 8465

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2064074 28-Jul-2018 12:19

MikeB4:

Geektastic:

Do cars come with both the Apple and Android versions of this stuff loaded or are you forced to choose the car based on the system if that is important to you? What happens if you have, say, an iPhone when you buy the car but a couple of years later you get a Galaxy?

Our Cars have both Apple and Google flavours. We both currently use Android but that could change depending on whats in the market

Do they have both in one car?

frednz

1467 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 429
Inactive user

#2064081 28-Jul-2018 13:06

Geektastic:

MikeB4:

Geektastic:

Do cars come with both the Apple and Android versions of this stuff loaded or are you forced to choose the car based on the system if that is important to you? What happens if you have, say, an iPhone when you buy the car but a couple of years later you get a Galaxy?

Our Cars have both Apple and Google flavours. We both currently use Android but that could change depending on whats in the market

Do they have both in one car?

In all the specifications I have seen, if the car has "Android Auto" it also has "Apple Car Play".

frednz

1467 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 429
Inactive user

#2064090 28-Jul-2018 13:20

surfisup1000:

frednz:

With regard to navigation in your car, would you prefer to use Android Auto with a smart phone, or for the vehicle to have a built-in navigation system that doesn't require the use of a smart phone?

What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of each of these systems?

Google maps is the best navigation software, best real time updates and very accurate predictive ETA. So, carplay with google maps would be good in that respect.

Car manufactured systems just don't have the same level of AI, and can be laggy. Our USA ford edge rental GPS was OK, but when we wanted better routing/info, would swap to the phones google maps.

An advantage of car navigation is that they receive vehicle telemetry information which can supplant gps data when reception is patchy. eg, driving through a tunnel the inbuilt gps can estimate position using the vehicle speed data. Maybe even the wheel direction if that is digitised, which i bet it is.

In general car manufacturers cannot get their control systems right. It started with that stupid bmw 7 series with the central rotating knob controlling everything.

The best control system for heating controls are knobs and sliders which can be operated eyes closed. My older toyota beach car has easier controls than the new car.

Thanks for those comments. I think Google Maps may run better if internet is on, but this may not be essential?

Google Maps do not seem to show the speed of the car (unless a third party app showing this runs on top of the maps)? I'm not sure whether this "speed app" will transfer across to the car's infotainment screen?

To save internet data, before you leave home, I think it may be better to download several maps covering the areas in which you propose to travel? A built-in navigation app doesn't have this disadvantage because the maps are already present.

Your smart phone needs to be connected to a charger (or special wireless charging pad) if it's going to be used for navigation on long journeys.

One disadvantage of built-in navigation systems is that they can cost money to update (even as much as $300) and the updates aren't offered all that frequently. However, Google Maps seem to be updated frequently.

The size of print (for street names etc) on a built-in car nav system seems to be larger than that on Google Maps?

richms

29104 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 10219

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2064132 28-Jul-2018 15:07

I dont see using data or needing me to preload maps as a disadvantage for google maps. I see stale maps and no data as a disadvantage for legacy style GPS devices. data is cheap so having it turned off when you are burning thru $15-20 an hour of fuel is a silly decision to make IMO.

Richard rich.ms

Aredwood

3885 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1749

#2064283 28-Jul-2018 17:45

What I want- the equivalent of an in dash computer monitor, and some buttons that link up to a USB input device. So I can connect up whatever computer I like. And not be stuck with some closed source device with no upgrade path.

As who knows if the current headunits will still work with whatever Android and iOS versions that exist in 5 years time, let alone 10 years time. And assuming that another OS doesn't become dominant in that time.

I agree with preferring manual heater controls as well. As modern cars tend to have automatic heater controls that override what you want them to do. Main example is cars that don't let you leave recirculation permanently enabled. And which keep switching it off after 20min or so. Which always happens when you are following a smoky diesel bus.

Lego

Shop now for Lego sets and other gifts (affiliate link).

lNomNoml

1842 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 521

ID Verified

#2064298 28-Jul-2018 18:31

I can't stand proprietary infotainment systems due to their limitations and stupidity, my wagon has Android Auto and love it, while it is not perfect it is still a head of traditional infotainment systems out there. I'm surprised how lagging behind the whole infotainment thing is on cars coming out.

Dunnersfella

4100 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 887

#2064299 28-Jul-2018 18:41

I will say that I like the way my Mazda's infotainment system works, I spend a LOT of time in hire cars around NZ and I've seen different implementations of CarPaly and they do differ wildly. Even after market solutions from Pioneer / Kenwood / Alpine etc are different, some are very MUCH better / worse.

Touch screens in cars make no sense to me, whereas a jog-wheel is a lot easier and intuitive, meaning I don't need to lean forward to adjust something, it's simple to use AND it doesn't blank the screen on my phone when navigating etc.

One thing I will say is that the Apple Maps app is horrendous, with massive issues re: accuracy around NZ.

Incidentally the Mazda keeps getting updated during factory services, it has ironed out a few bugs (some of which seem to be introduced by iOS)... however the map GPS software still doesn't see the Waterview tunnel as being a quicker option. Odd.

jonathan18

7415 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2850

ID Verified

Trusted

#2064379 28-Jul-2018 21:32

To correct an earlier post: some cars may have Apple CarPlay but not Android Auto (it doesn't seem like many are the opposite, ie Android-compatible but not iOS); this page is from Sep 17, so it may have changed a bit from then: https://www.motor1.com/news/179330/android-auto-apple-carplay-list/

My Mazda's a 2013, so I won't be able to get the upgrade - Mazda Connect came in the following year - and has meant I've had to spend a decent amount of money to update the maps in the built-in GPS, and it's still a sh!te system (mid-2000s-quality graphics and resolution no different to my TomTom GPS from that era; sooooo slooooow to search for addresses etc).

So, yeah, anything that provides for features such as GPS that are independent from that 'hard baked' into the car has my support; as it is, I'll often elect to use Google Maps on my phone rather than my car's GPS.

michaelmurfy

meow
13581 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 10914

Moderator

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2064385 28-Jul-2018 21:57

I got a Pioneer head unit in my car which has support for both Android Auto and Carplay. I find it very convenient plugging my iPhone in, having it charge and having an easy to use interface that is powered from my phone. Would never go back to anything else.

Also really looking forward to Google Maps and Waze coming soon to Apple Carplay. This is the good thing with these units - they're driven from your phone and are always up to date.

Honestly if you are judging and have not tried either Apples or Androids implementation of in car entertainment then really you shouldn't comment stating they're crap. Try it first then report back as they're excellent.

Michael Murphy | https://murfy.nz
Referral Links: Quic Broadband (use R122101E7CV7Q for free setup)

Are you happy with what you get from Geekzone? Please consider supporting us by subscribing.
Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4