this post was submitted on 12 Nov 2024
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Personally I don't even need that, just give me aux and usb ports for my phone. It'll be multitudes better than whatever hardware they use for the "infotainment" system.
I would rather have just a dumb display with an open standard that will mirror my phone and send touches back. Android auto is great but it's a proprietary protocol that support could be dropped at any time. Same with apple. Everything that is not infotainment should be physical buttons so if I want to swap out my display for something else it won't neuter my hvac
There should be the mandatory inclusion of a set of open APIs that pass info like:
display and audio signal (duh)
microphone audio (to pass voice commands)
whether the headlights are on (to offer auto dark mode switching on the display)
whether the handbrake is engaged (so things like video playback can be a parked-only feature)
crash sensor activation (so that a phone could, if the user desires, automatically alert emergency services)
For EVs, battery SoC (so that navigation software can include charging stops seamlessly)
whether the car is left-hand-drive or right-hand-drive (so on-screen buttons can always be close to the driver, not on the wrong side)
From there on, there can be actual competition in the space. You're not just limited to Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. Any app would be able to use this API data.
Agreed, The left/right hand drive is a hidden setting in AA too. I found it and was happy to be able to have my media controls on the other side because I use them more than navigation. I set my destination and go, I change my podcast more.
A monitor with HDMI over usb-c input
After rolling to CarPlay and Android auto for a while, I’d rather not use a tiny handheld UI when I drive. iOS and Android’s auto UIs have bigger buttons and are more glanceable. If I’m using a screen while driving, I’d rather the screen that was designed for peripheral vision and less precise button targeting.
As someone who needs GPS a lot for work, having it on the large display is very nice. I think the sweet spot is around 7 inches; big enough for maps, but leave enough space for everything else.
The best is when they display the "next step" right on the dash. Too bad my work vehicle doesn't do that.
The downside of building the phone/tablet into the car, though, is that phones change more quickly than cars.
A 20 year old car can be perfectly functional. A 20 year old smarphone is insanely outdated. If the phone is built into the car, you're stuck with it.
Relative to a built-in system, I'd kind of rather just have a standard mounting point with security attachments and have the car computer be upgraded. 3DIN maybe.
I get the "phone is small" argument, but the phone is upgradeable.
And I'd definitely rather have physical controls for a lot of things.
That's why Car Play/Android Auto is the best way to go. The smarts are in the phone, but you can have a bigger display.
Exactly. These systems have been around for a decade and my new phone still works on an old Alpine CarPlay head unit from 2014.
Base alpine software may feel dated, but once the phone is in, I get the modern version of all my mapping, listening, and communication software.
Projection systems rock. I was an early adopter and I refuse to go back. Docking a phone on an air vent is janky.
Sadly, I still have an older car without Car Play/Android Auto.
Have you thought about upgrading to an aftermarket stereo or a one of those CarPlay / aa units that connects to your car’s existing auto inputs? I had CarPlay in a 2001 Subaru.
Not if the car manufacturers get their wish. They'd love to force you to buy a new car every few years. Having tech installed that becomes obsolete fast would help make you upgrade.
Yeah, but most manufacturers support CarPlay and Android Auto these days. Your car’s dashboard experience inherits whatever your phone’s OS projection system sends.
My old car’s onboard infotainment may be a decade behind, but when I plug my phone in, it’s 2024.
Ahhh that sounds awesome!