Android Auto

[Swervin_Mervin]

No longer works on mobile devices - or screens to be precise.

Bit of a pisser as the Google Maps UI isn't as good imo.

Anyone any other recommendations? Preferably something with Spotify integration.

[DaveE]

No longer works on mobile devices - or screens to be precise.

Bit of a pisser as the Google Maps UI isn't as good imo.

Anyone any other recommendations? Preferably something with Spotify integration.

If this is for your BMW (assumed based on your avatar) then I bought and had fitted a box from t'internet that gives wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay for BMWs

Obvs it depends on what your car's existing OS is etc, but might be worth looking into?

I bought it from these guys: https://droiduk.com/shop/

[McSwede]

No longer works on mobile devices - or screens to be precise.

Bit of a pisser as the Google Maps UI isn't as good imo.

Anyone any other recommendations? Preferably something with Spotify integration.

Since when and on what devices? I was using it in my 330e yesterday.

[Swervin_Mervin]

No idrive in mine Dave. So I just have my phone in a cradle. Android Auto had a great UI and Assistant Driving Mode, by comparison, is absolute dog crap.

McSwede - it's AA on phone screens that's ceased.

[McSwede]

No idrive in mine Dave. So I just have my phone in a cradle. Android Auto had a great UI and Assistant Driving Mode, by comparison, is absolute dog crap.

McSwede - it's AA on phone screens that's ceased.

Ah. Thanks.

[Mito Man]

Waze has Spotify integration.

[Swervin_Mervin]

Waze has Spotify integration.

I'll give that a try cheers Mito. Had been considering trying Waze out anyway as AA had gone a bit crap sometimes on the nav.

[Jobbo]

Surely you can just use the Google Maps app on your phone? I don’t understand Android Auto existing if it’s not on the car’s own screen.

ETA I see your saying the Google Maps UI is the issue. How did Android Auto’s on the phone differ?

[DaveE]

No idrive in mine Dave. So I just have my phone in a cradle. Android Auto had a great UI and Assistant Driving Mode, by comparison, is absolute dog crap.

McSwede - it's AA on phone screens that's ceased.

Ah ok, sorry...

[Matty]

I never used AA on my phone, I found the UI didn't work on my smaller screen so I understand why they ditched it; however the Google Maps app loses the buttons if you run it in landscape mode, and the Up mount doesn't rotate - to make it worse, "Hey Google" is terrible in the car, it seems slow to activate/understand (could be my Black Country accent TBH)

Waze has Spotify integration.

Waze's routing is terrible for me - it's supposed to be backed by Google Maps, but it picks really strange routes that GM uses to be much quicker.

[Broccers]

I think google maps is pretty good - also integrates with spotify well.

[Swervin_Mervin]

Surely you can just use the Google Maps app on your phone? I don’t understand Android Auto existing if it’s not on the car’s own screen.

ETA I see your saying the Google Maps UI is the issue. How did Android Auto’s on the phone differ?

It was a much cleaner UI for a start. It had a Home screen which had summary directions, last call, spotify track etc, so if you wre on a regular journey and didn't really need the full nav display you could just leave it on that. The full nav screen was cleaner and less cluttered. And it was full Spotify integration - you could access everything. Driving Assistant doesn't have that and limits you to most recent items such as playlists, podcasts etc. It essentially offered exactly the same experience on a mobile screen as it does in the integrated systems e.g. our Skoda.

I see from a quick play with Waze that it also doesn't seem to have that full integration of Spotify and if you want anything other than most recent you have to launch the Spotify app.

[V8Granite]

In Europe Waze is a long way ahead of Google maps, it seems to use less data too. The Norwegians have t really taken to Waze and many times they cannot get to the door of one of the sites we are visiting where Waze takes me there.

Waze does use some odd routes so when I’m towing I tend to check the route before leaving. This is all on the iPhone so no idea if android is different.

Dave!

[scotta]

No longer works on mobile devices - or screens to be precise.

Bit of a pisser as the Google Maps UI isn't as good imo.

Anyone any other recommendations? Preferably something with Spotify integration.

If this is for your BMW (assumed based on your avatar) then I bought and had fitted a box from t'internet that gives wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay for BMWs

Obvs it depends on what your car's existing OS is etc, but might be worth looking into?

I bought it from these guys: https://droiduk.com/shop/

Interesting - ive been eyeing those for the X5. Mines just missed the iDrive upgrade that allows carplay.

Got any more detail on how it works? Can you listen to DAB and use carplay?

[davecG60]

Waze has Spotify integration.

This, although it "forgets" my Spotify connection intermittently so I have to go in to settings on Spotify and reconnect. Not done it for a few weeks so may have been fixed by an update ?

[DaveE]

No longer works on mobile devices - or screens to be precise.

Bit of a pisser as the Google Maps UI isn't as good imo.

Anyone any other recommendations? Preferably something with Spotify integration.

If this is for your BMW (assumed based on your avatar) then I bought and had fitted a box from t'internet that gives wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay for BMWs

Obvs it depends on what your car's existing OS is etc, but might be worth looking into?

I bought it from these guys: https://droiduk.com/shop/

Interesting - ive been eyeing those for the X5. Mines just missed the iDrive upgrade that allows carplay.

Got any more detail on how it works? Can you listen to DAB and use carplay?

Basically, it's inserted into the wiring of the existing systems

To your point though, your audio source has to be "external" (on iDrive) and then all the audio comes from your phone

You can't (for example) have DAB from iDrive and map notifications from your phone - which may be a deal-breaker

However, for me, it's either/our mostly - I'm either using the iDrive systems/audio or the phone (i.e. music streaming + maps notifications from the phone)

The jog dial thing works with Android Auto (i.e. the BMW screen isn't touch responsive to AA - not that I use touch for iDrive at all)

Having Google Assistant is great though - being able to say things like "skip the music forward 10 minutes" or "set a reminder for..." while driving is super helpful (you know all those thoughts that spring to mind when you're driving!), and obviously asking for directions/route using Google Maps (again, very handy if you get diverted and need a route plotting without stopping)

It works well though - took me a while to get the hang of it and tweak settings to my liking (simple) and I can share if you go ahead

I like it - and now you can't touch your phone at all, it's really the only legal option

[scotta]

If this is for your BMW (assumed based on your avatar) then I bought and had fitted a box from t'internet that gives wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay for BMWs

Obvs it depends on what your car's existing OS is etc, but might be worth looking into?

I bought it from these guys: https://droiduk.com/shop/

Interesting - ive been eyeing those for the X5. Mines just missed the iDrive upgrade that allows carplay.

Got any more detail on how it works? Can you listen to DAB and use carplay?

Basically, it's inserted into the wiring of the existing systems

To your point though, your audio source has to be "external" (on iDrive) and then all the audio comes from your phone

You can't (for example) have DAB from iDrive and map notifications from your phone - which may be a deal-breaker

However, for me, it's either/our mostly - I'm either using the iDrive systems/audio or the phone (i.e. music streaming + maps notifications from the phone)

The jog dial thing works with Android Auto (i.e. the BMW screen isn't touch responsive to AA - not that I use touch for iDrive at all)

Having Google Assistant is great though - being able to say things like "skip the music forward 10 minutes" or "set a reminder for..." while driving is super helpful (you know all those thoughts that spring to mind when you're driving!), and obviously asking for directions/route using Google Maps (again, very handy if you get diverted and need a route plotting without stopping)

It works well though - took me a while to get the hang of it and tweak settings to my liking (simple) and I can share if you go ahead

I like it - and now you can't touch your phone at all, it's really the only legal option

Can the unit itself not do DAB - their website sells a DAB aerial for the unit but says if you car already has it they offer a splitter.

[DaveE]

I've not seen anything about DAB in the version I have

There's no UI for it (either via Android itself) or the unit

[IanF]

Something I didn’t notice at the last Apple event but has been mentioned in the press today is that you’ll be able to pay for fuel through your CarPlay interface in the next few months, initially in the US but talks ongoing with other providers. Probably drive thru’s next, plus it’ll make it easy to pay by mile when it comes along.. erm, yay?