Apple CarPlay and Android Auto has changed the way we enjoy our Driving…
It wasn’t long ago that having a CD stacker in your car was considered high-tech when the thought of seamlessly switching from Eminem to Green Day, with U2 and the Red Hot Chili Peppers threw in for good measure, had you jumping into the driver’s seat at the slightest hint of an opportunity had you jumping into the driver’s seat.
Rapidly evolving technology has brought with it gleaming new toys, which can be seen in the homes we live in, the professions we do, and the vehicles we choose to drive. And, of course, in our smartphones, which have rapidly become an extension of how we communicate in all facets of our lives.
We are so reliant on our phones that we can’t be separated from them, even when driving. And being distracted by a text message while driving a three-tonne truck is never a good thing.
Enter Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which are meant to keep you connected to your world while keeping your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road.
That’s fantastic, but what is it exactly?
Simply put, these are third-party programs that imitate the features of your phone and operate on the computer interface in your automobile. The goal is to use voice commands instead of your hands to access your favorite music, make calls, and respond to texts.
Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have been available since 2014. Still, it is only in the last year that they have fully come into their own, with most manufacturers putting them into new vehicles.
What do you require?
On the other hand, cars must be capable of supporting the systems in the first place. Most automobiles under two years old either have the capacity or can have their software modified to be compliant. Aftermarket systems are available that will allow certain older vehicles to compete with the cool kids.
To use CarPlay, you must have an iPhone 5 or later and an Android smartphone to use Android Auto. It’s pretty self-explanatory, but you never know…
What is the best way to get started?
For CarPlay, you link your iPhone into the car through a USB wire, and there you have it – the face of your phone on your car’s multimedia screen, although with only a few apps. You’ll recognize the Phone, Music, Maps, Messages, Now Playing, Podcasts, and Audio icons. They’re enormous and brilliant, and they’re hard to overlook. None of these icons can be deleted. However, you can add a few programs, such as Spotify and Pandora.
Android Auto goes through a few additional processes. You must first download the app and connect your phone with the automobile. However, this is typically not a difficult procedure. Rather than icons, the screen displays a list of the current activities in use, such as the music you’re listening to, recent calls and messages, and maybe the location you’re traveling to. At the bottom, there is a tab bar with the options Navigation, Calls and Messages, Home Screen, Music and Audio, and Exit.
Also Read, Heads Up Display: Do you Need it in your Next Car?
Do they use telepathy?
Yes, if you count the voices in your brain.
Voice commands are encouraged in both interfaces, with CarPlay utilizing ‘Siri’ to do your bidding and Android Auto using ‘Google Now.’ You must touch the voice command button or microphone on your steering wheel to give your requests. However, under CarPlay, you may just say “Hey Siri” to get her started. You may, of course, use manual instructions, but the systems will prompt you to verbalize your requirements instead.
What Exactly Is Android Auto? What Exactly Can Android Auto Do?
Android Auto, like Apple CarPlay, is Google’s version of an in-car assistant. Android Auto is intended to make using Google Maps, Waze, and Google’s Voice Assistant technologies while driving easier and safer. You can use it to navigate, play music, listen to audiobooks, answer and send voice-to-text messages and emails, and make calls, much like Apple CarPlay.
Android Auto was released in 2015 and is based on Google’s technology stack. This includes Google Maps (which also owns the famous navigation software Waze) and Google Assistant, which allows you to ask your Android phone to do things like changing a Pandora station or reading the last text message you wrote using voice commands. Android Auto is available on your Android phone and has an operating system of 5.0 or above.
You must first install Android Auto on your phone. It does not arrive with it pre-installed. If your car has Android Auto functionality, you may use the system on the phone itself, or you can use it on your infotainment system. Unlike Apple CarPlay, you may utilize the system just on your phone. Some automobiles equipped with Android Auto technology can be linked to Android Auto. Still, some Android phones will not operate wirelessly. Android Auto is available on select vehicles manufactured in 2014 or later.
How Do I Get Access To Apple Carplay?
You should upgrade your systems as Apple and vehicle manufacturers do. Updates can introduce new applications to your offering while also improving the performance of some of your existing ones. We were ecstatic to see that, following an update, Apple Maps introduced speed limit signs to navigation, which appear well on the infotainment screen.
You should upgrade your systems as Apple and vehicle manufacturers do. Updates can introduce new applications to your offering while also improving the performance of some of your existing ones. We were ecstatic to see that, following an update, Apple Maps introduced speed limit signs to navigation, which appear well on the infotainment screen.
Apple CarPlay took nearly a decade to create (it has been available since 2014). Apple CarPlay is available on iPhones running iOS 7.1 or above. To have Apple CarPlay on your phone, you do not need to download it, and it comes pre-installed and runs instantly if your vehicle has Apple CarPlay. Apple CarPlay is available in vehicles manufactured after 2014.
What’s Good And Bad About Apple Carplay And Android Auto?
Even if places such as California have made it illegal to touch your phone more than once while driving, everyone uses their phone in the car in some form. One of the nicest features of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is that they both provide a safer method to use your phone while driving.
PROS
- It is simple to use and may be activated using voice commands.
- In automobiles equipped with the systems, it may be operated through buttons on the steering wheel.
- To get the systems to operate with incoming text messages, you don’t have to utilize Apple’s iMessage or Android’s messaging system. Apps such as Facebook Messenger, Skype, and even WhatsApp will be available.
- On both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, you can listen to music from several platforms, including Pandora, Spotify, Last.fm, and others.
CONS
Some of the drawbacks of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto include that not all apps are accessible on either platform. Other disadvantages include:
- Both lack proper speech recognition. Don’t anticipate perfection if you’re attempting to send correct text messages or emails using Siri or Google’s Assistant. Be prepared to repeat yourself if you try to tell the navigator where to go.
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto do not solve the problem of distracted driving. When using either, you can still be distracted, so pay attention to what you’re doing when dealing with the system.