Android Auto and Apple CarPlay: how smartphones are changing infotainment systems in cars. What is CarPlay and how to use it

2014 Consumer Electronics Show - a show that is often called a gathering of geeks and nerds computer networks in khaki trousers, this year attracted a record number of automotive exhibitors.

And the world-famous Apple corporation showed at this show that it is ready to take a fat piece of the pie in the field. The company at this show had a booth named " iOS in the car". And a new phrase " Apple CarPlay "has become closely associated with some car manufacturers, and some models will already be released by the end of 2014.

Like many other in-vehicle communications systems, the whole idea of ​​CarPlay is to allow you to do everything in your car without being distracted by the main activity - driving. At the same time, the key role in the system is played by the Siri application, which can execute commands under dictation and answer any questions, individually adapting to the style of your speech. But the main thing is that very soon we will find out how well it works, as soon as the equipment in cars appears on the streets of our city.

Demonstration of the CarPlay system in a Ferrari at the Geneva Motor Show

The operation of the CarPlay system is quite simple - in general, like everything else that Apple undertakes. You take your iPhone 5, 5S, or 5C and connect it via a special Lightening connector to the car interface. Voila! Your car now has almost all the functions of your phone, just the way you always wanted. However, the car's on-board computer doesn't do all the heavy lifting that runs on your iOS; Believe me, he has a lot of other - more important work - such as, after all, reading information from numerous sensors of the car in order to maintain stable operation of ABS and ESP or make sure that your airbags are in working order so that at the right moment save your life... and all this while you are breaking boxes in the Angry Birds, scroll through (with your voice) the playlist of your favorite band or write an important entry in Evernote. Your iPhone works together with your car. This means that applications must be installed on your mobile phone in order to see them on the car interface in the console. CarPlay completely integrates the car and iPhone. It works natively with car controls like music and phone volume, so you don't have to waste time fiddling with your phone to make changes. It also works in conjunction with the touch screen on your car's dashboard, much like the display on your phone.

Connecting to CarPlay via iPhone

However, not all apps can run on CarPlay, at least not in their normal mode. At the same time, it is Apple that will dictate to you the final word on what will work and what will not. Indeed, choosing an application comes down mainly to . The idea behind CarPlay, and almost every other in-vehicle entertainment and communication system, is to minimize distractions. At least that's what all the tech manufacturers claim. In any case, it is very unlikely that Apple will be able to make the same game of Angry Birds or Doom safe while you are driving. Music, navigation, and anything that can be controlled hands-free or even with one hand can happen because your hands and eyes need to be behind the wheel.

If you are an ardent Siri fan and cannot imagine your life without her voice even for a second, CarPlay will turn your dreams into reality. Siri will speak to you directly from your car's speakers surrounding you. She will look at the calendar and email and will tell you about upcoming events and meetings while you are driving. She will read SMS messages to you and allow you to dictate the answer to them.

Since its debut in Geneva, CarPlay has only had a handful of pre-approved apps available. Siri, of course, became the main one. In addition to Siri, there will definitely be some application available (and, most likely, there will be several of them) for listening to music.

But you are probably already asking the question: “Where is the main application that is so necessary on the road?!”, right? Yes, such an application will definitely be present with CarPlay, but according to preliminary data, it will not be Google Maps. The problem is that there is no way yet to link google maps with Siri to let you find your destination and get directions to it. You'll have to use Apple's version of maps - Apple Maps - in CarPlay, but you should like it. Although, however, since the first days of its existence, Apple Maps has improved quite a bit.

When Apple debuted CarPlay at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, the company confirmed that it was already working with a dozen automakers, including Ferrari. When shopping for a new car for yourself, you'll likely even be given the option to choose the operating environment in which you already live in everyday life, and for the car you want to buy. And as long as the operating system lives on the phone and not on the car's hard drive, this makes a lot of sense.

Technologies are actively penetrating almost all spheres of human life from smart watch on hand to the smart home, but if we ignore the niche business of electric vehicles for now, then in general the automotive industry looks quite conservative. This is partly dictated by increased safety requirements for passenger transport, so the principle “if it works, don’t touch it” has been practiced here for decades. But due to strange coincidences, progress often bypasses infotainment systems in cars. Even in expensive models there are sometimes very simple screens with graphics that were drawn 20 years ago. Therefore, it is not surprising that in 2014, Apple and Google announced their own interfaces for automotive systems. Until recently, manufacturers sold them as rather expensive options, but today they are increasingly included with the standard multimedia center in the car. Therefore, we decided to take a closer look at what they can offer Android users Auto and Apple CarPlay. And for this they used a car that supports both systems.

Android Auto

Google announced the interface for car infotainment systems in 2014, but the program itself for Android smartphones was released only a year later, in 2015. The company then stated that they decided to develop a new system, since cars, despite their popularity, rarely have an Internet connection. Google decided to solve this problem using smartphones. Therefore, in order to run Android Auto, you first need to download from Google Play corresponding application. And here an unpleasant surprise awaits Ukrainian users: the Android Auto program is not officially available in Ukraine, so you will have to download and install it from third-party repositories.

However, on Google’s part this is quite logical, since Android work Auto is tied to Assistant, but it does not officially work in our country. But does this prevent you from using the system in a car? No.

Before moving on to the main Android functions Auto, let's dwell a little on the interface. Google based it on developments that were previously used in the first versions operating system for Wear OS smartwatches. Here also home screen consists of cards that automatically adapt to the user’s typical tasks.

For example, if a person goes to work every morning and starts navigation in Google Maps while turning on Google Music, then Android Auto will first show him the cards of these applications.

In addition to cards, the system interface includes a navigation panel with buttons quick access to maps, phone, music and go to the built-in car information system, as well as a button in the center, which is responsible for taking a step back. Actually, this is the entire interface that the user will have to work with. Not enough? Yes, but this is the main idea of ​​Android Auto, everything should be at hand and so that the driver is less distracted from keeping an eye on the road. Therefore, for example, there is no application menu in the system, although third party programs Android Auto supports, but only certain categories. For example, instead of Google Music, you can use to listen to music, or choose one of the available programs for radio, audiobooks and podcasts. Thus, Google's main focus is on audio, as it is less distracting for the driver in the car.

For the same reason, Android Auto will not show the text of incoming messages on the screen, but will only speak them. You can only answer them by voice; this is where Google’s speech recognition comes into play, which does a pretty good job. It is worth noting that if the application itself supports Android Auto, then its notification will be announced by the system. Now the system is supported by such popular instant messengers as Telegram, WhatsApp, Skype, Hangouts, Kik, WeChat. But to answer letters in Gmail You can’t, and Google has no plans to add this feature yet.

The focus on safety in Android Auto shows up even in the most unexpected moments. For example, while listening to music, the system will not allow you to scroll through playlists on Google Play for a long time. If you want to start a playlist, you need to do it quickly. Better yet, ask for it using a voice command.

If both applications are installed on your smartphone, then when you first launch it, it prompts you to select one of them, and in the future it will open automatically. Considering that built-in navigation in a car is mostly a paid option, and also that it does not receive traffic data, Google Maps and Waze make it much easier to get around the city and at the same time work for free.

On at the moment the easiest way to connect your smartphone to Android Auto via cable, via USB port in the car. This year Google provided support wireless connection to Android Auto for its Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones, but automakers are in no hurry to implement this feature as it will affect the final cost of the car.

Overall, Android Auto doesn't provide all the functionality of a smartphone in a car's infotainment system, but it does provide a number of driver-friendly features that don't distract the driver from the road.

Apple CarPlay

Apple announced its system for cars earlier than Google and implemented it as a component of iOS, rather than a separate application. Essentially, the system broadcasts an image from the smartphone screen. Therefore, Apple CarPlay comes bundled with the iPhone and, accordingly, does not have regional restrictions, like Android Auto.

The CarPlay interface is also designed in a minimalist style, only unlike Google versions, Apple’s main focus here is not on information, but on applications, so the main screen here consists of their icons. CarPlay navigation, just like the first ones iPhone versions, as simple as possible: you can launch the program and press the virtual “Home” button to return to the main screen. Instead of a multitasking mode, Apple CarPlay shows the three most recently used apps in a column on the left.

Automotive logic Apple systems the same as Google - less distracting driver from the road. Therefore, the main emphasis here is also on audio, and not on reading information from the screen. Do you want to read a message or write to someone? Please, but do it with your voice using Siri.

Yes, and you can dictate a message only through the built-in iOS app“Messages” with iMessage, and WhatsApp, support for which appeared only this year. In this case, for example, it works to receive calls via Facebook Messenger. Other instant messaging programs are not yet supported.

Working with audio also involves listening to music, and CarPlay has a lot to offer in this regard. The system supports playing music, podcasts and audiobooks. At the same time, you can listen to music either through Apple Music, and through third party applications, for example through Google Music, Deezer and Spotify.

Another important feature in Apple CarPlay is navigation, but currently it is not implemented in the best way. The fact is that at the time of writing this material, the system only supports Apple Maps, and they do not work the best in Ukraine. But already in iOS 12, third-party navigation programs should appear for CarPlay. In particular, it is currently underway Google testing Maps and Waze.

Connecting Apple CarPlay to a car is now most often done using a Lightning cable via a USB port, although since iOS 9 the system has the ability to connect wirelessly. But as with Android Auto, for automakers, connecting with a cable is still the simplest and most importantly affordable option.

As a result

Summarizing everything written above, it is worth noting that we managed to achieve our goal, namely to make the infotainment system in the car more convenient and, most importantly, connected to the Internet. At the same time, unlike standard offerings, neither Android Auto nor Apple CarPlay are tied to the car, they receive regular updates and will offer users even more functions in the future.

How to properly use an iPhone in a car or everything you need to know about CarPlay. A smartphone is one of the most popular modern devices. It is not only designed for talking, but also for listening to music or using GPS navigation. This matter has not escaped the attention of car manufacturers, who are increasingly providing the opportunity to integrate a telephone with a radio in a car.

Integration means that when we connect the phone to the car, we will see on the screen the selected applications that we use every day. In addition to navigation, this can be news, movies, photos and programs. The type of application depends on what phone you are using. In addition, it is closely dependent on the connection standard: Android Auto, Bosch mySPIN, Ford AppLink, CarPlay, MirrorLink or MHL. We will review the most popular system - CarPlay.

The solution, developed by Apple and released on the market 5 years ago, only works with American branded phones. In most cars it works via a traditional USB connection. Starting with the new BMW 5 Series, CarPlay will also be available in wireless mode. You don't need to use a USB cable to see your phone apps on the radio screen.

How to check if your phone is compatible with CarPlay?

CarPlay mode is only available on some iPhones. It is available in the following models: 5, 5C, 5S, 6, S Plus, 6S, 6S Plus, SE, 7 and 7 Plus. This feature is not available on iPad and iPod Touch. CarPlay comes installed by default on any compatible iPhone and requires no additional software.

How to check if your car radio is compatible with CarPlay?

The solution is only available on multimedia radios with a large color screen on which, for example, you can display a map navigation system. Compatible radio devices are usually not marked with the CarPlay logo symbol. Therefore, to make sure that head unit car works with iPhone, you can use the car manufacturer's website and look for a tab dedicated to phone compatibility with factory-installed equipment. Although on some cars (for example, Volvo XC90), CarPlay mode is available only after updating the radio firmware, which requires visiting the station.

How to set up a smartphone for CarPlay?

In your phone's general settings, select the CarPlay option. For proper operation you need to activate the voice function Siri assistant(also in the general settings of the smartphone). Please note that on some vehicles, CarPlay may not work properly if you set your phone to a language other than US English.

Applications that run in CarPlay mode can be downloaded from the AppStore and installed automatically. Unfortunately, program availability varies by country. Therefore, their use on Russian market less than in the USA or Germany.

How to connect your phone to the car radio?

Both devices are connected via a USB cable. But on some cars equipped with several USB connectors (for example, BMW, Opel), only one of them is designed for connection in CarPlay mode. Unless specifically stated, you will need to check the manual for correctness. When connecting your phone, make sure the screen is unlocked. IN otherwise CarPlay will not turn on.

To use wireless CarPlay, you need to turn on the Bluetooth function on your phone and then activate voice control in the car.

How does CarPlay work?

The main CarPlay menu that appears on the screen at startup is the default programs selected by Apple. The icons are large and clearly labeled, making them much easier to use. All user interface designed for voice control that requires knowledge English language. This was especially true for Apple Maps, where manual address entry was hidden from the user. Unfortunately, the program does not recognize Russian names of streets and cities that are pronounced by voice. This leaves time to be spent manually entering the target. In this regard, Apple Maps is certainly inconvenient navigation program. Plus, Apple Maps also doesn't have warnings about police cameras and other issues.

In terms of stability, CarPlay scores very highly. The program does not freeze or slow down. None of the cars we tested experienced the problems that often occur with Mirror Link or Android Auto. Phone mode also works well - no one complained about voice and sound quality.

Apple CarPlay also works for listening to music, podcasts or Internet radio. The sound quality is very good, and searching for recordings is intuitive (you can use recordings online and store them on your iPhone). Unfortunately, the choice of programs is very limited, in this regard Apple continues to give way to Google.

Pros and cons of the program

Disadvantages of Apple CarPlay

• Inconvenient manual entry of the navigation address
• Bad navigation program Apple Maps
• Limited number of applications
• High cost of buying new phones

Benefits of Apple CarPlay

• Stable operation in CarPlay mode
• Convenient menu with a list of applications
• Large selection of programs for listening to music
• Voice control with Siri function

Video instructions for CarPlay

Note that at the beginning of 2019, CarPlay still does not have an official technical support Apple in Russia.

Many owners of Apple tablets and phones have heard more than once about the CarPlay application, which allows you to control the car’s electronics and the functions of a specific gadget in one place and using a convenient interface.

At the moment, there are no analogues to this program, and, most likely, there will not be any in the near future, since an increasing number of automakers are adapting the electronics of their cars specifically for Apple CarPlay.

In addition to adapting the Apple application to specific cars, programs are also being created that can work under its supervision. Yandex Navigator may be one of these. In today’s article we’ll talk specifically about the possible symbiosis of navigation from Yandex and multi-application from Apple.

A few words about Apple CarPlay

Apple CarPlay is software for gadgets from the company of the same name. An application of this kind does not need to be downloaded to your phone: it is either installed by default in the car’s multimedia system, or is absent from it and cannot be installed. At its core, Apple CarPlay is a program that allows you to:

• First, organize a user-friendly interface for communicating with the car’s electronics.
• Secondly, use multimedia machines in a format more familiar to the user.
• And thirdly, the driver should not be distracted by functions that can only be performed by the phone while driving, since they can be used by accessing the standard control panel of the car (for example, making the same calls or using Yandex Navigator).

It’s very easy to check whether your car specifically supports Apple CarPlay or not. To do this, just connect using a USB cable to the car’s electronics (usually the connector is located somewhere on the dashboard) and see what happened to the touch screen for controlling the electronics of your car. If its interface has changed to Apple’s, then CarPlay is supported by the electronics of your vehicle. Otherwise, an iPhone or iPad from an American manufacturer will work like a regular phone connected to the car’s electronics. An approximate interface is shown in the picture below.

If you are lucky and Apple CarPlay is supported, then using this application you can:

• use the car’s multimedia to watch videos, listen to music and connect to the Internet;
• displays navigators and maps on the large screen;
• make calls and send SMS messages via a large touch screen without being distracted by a small gadget while driving;
• control the operation of machine systems and components;
• and also do a number of other functions through the use of touchpad auto and voice control.

Thus, it turns out that Apple CarPlay is the most convenient means for using car electronics in symbiosis with the functions of gadgets from the manufacturer of the same name. However, it is worth noting that this application is only supported by devices with an IOS operating system higher than version 7.1 (all IPhones from the fifth model).

Important! Every month the list of cars and similar smart applications supporting Apple CarPlay is expanding, so expect that in the near future this program will be available to almost everyone - quite possible.

Symbiosis of Apple CarPlay and Yandex Navigator

Many users of Apple gadgets and, at the same time, active motorists are asking the question: “How and, most importantly, why combine Apple CarPlay and Yandex Navigator?” To answer this question, first of all, let's look at the advantages of operating such a symbiosis of applications:

• Convenient relaying of navigation and maps from Yandex to the car’s large touch multimedia screen. This approach is not bad not only because of its ease of use, but also because it allows you to replace an expensive navigator with a large panel and separate multimedia devices using regular phone or tablet.
• The user's ability to control Yandex Navigator using voice. It was previously mentioned that Apple CarPlay is capable of receiving voice commands, however, note that it works this application on the latest system voice commands, for example, capable of dialing the real number of a person who is signed in the contacts of your gadget “Ivan” upon request “Call Ivan”.
• No need to be distracted by a small smartphone to receive information from Yandex Navigator, and even more so constantly unlock the phone or carry out other manipulations. In the case of using Apple CarPlay, we repeat, all the necessary information is relayed to the multimedia screen for controlling the car’s electronics.

Today, CarPlay and Yandex Navigator do not support each other, but this symbiosis can bring many benefits to motorists. Moreover, the joint operation of these applications will allow the user of Apple gadgets to refuse to use extremely uninformative Google maps. And this will not be superfluous in a difficult road situation.

This is probably the most interesting information the merger of Apple CarPlay and Yandex Navigator has come to an end. We hope the material presented above was useful to you. Good luck on the roads!

Apple review CarPlay:

Yandex Navigator review:

Considering constant updates technology applications, there is no better time to explore them than today. The same applies to automotive equipment: software has long occupied an important place in the modern automotive industry. The latest updates in the arsenal of automotive software in 2014, and accordingly the topics of our today's review, are Google Android Auto and Apple Car Play.

Apple CarPlay

CarPlay is a young development of the world famous company Apple, the concept of which was first tested at the international presentation of WWDC last summer. Only at that time the system was called differently - iOS In The Car. Later, at an open exhibition in 2014, it acquired its current name and was presented to a wide audience.

Like everything that comes out of the Apple assembly line, CarPlay is the most unobtrusive, simple and easy-to-use system. Using CarPlay is almost the same as using an iPhone. The only difference is that access to the tools and functions of your phone is not in your hands, but on the display of your car. Essentially, CarPlay turns your car into a giant iPhone. You can still make calls, take GPS routes, send text messages and listen to your favorite music, but now it's much easier to do it while driving.

When you make a phone call, the sound is played through the car's audio system. In the system, absolutely everything from writing SMS messages to selecting a song in iTunes can be controlled by the human voice. Regarding GPS systems(in CarPlay the application is simply called “Maps”), it also listens to voice commands, plotting and commenting on the shortest route to the desired location.

CarPlay uses Siri, Apple's ubiquitous digital assistant. It works from your car's controllers: buttons, knobs, dials and touch screens. All system applications have been formatted specifically for operating the system while driving, so that the driver can perform all operations without actually taking his eyes off the road.

If you're already familiar with iOS and Apple products, you'll quickly understand intuitively how CarPlay works. To activate Siri, you simply press a button on the steering wheel. If you have a touch screen, select the application you need. It's the same with cars, where control is done using buttons: just press one of them to activate the system.

There is no doubt that the system will gain its fans when it is installed on a wider variety of car brands. First of all, drivers will love how easy it is to navigate Apple Maps on the dashboard display. The app provides both standard features, such as warning turns, calculating mileage, and its own characteristics. For example, the system alerts you to places you might want to visit by checking addresses in your contacts, text messages, and calendar.

Especially for music lovers who gravitate towards music applications, a number of programs such as iHeartRadio, Spotify, Stitcher and Beats Music have been adapted for CarPlay.

In 2014, CarPlay is already showing its capabilities on new cars from Ferrari, Volvo, Honda, Hyundai and Mercedes-Benz. Of course, the system will also be available on a dozen other brands in the near future. The first in line to adapt CarPlay to their models will be Toyota, Peugeot, Nissan, BMW, Ford, Opel, Land Rover, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Citroën, KIA, Subaru, Suzuki and Chevrolet.

In addition, technology giant Apple, in collaboration with Pioneer and Alpine Electronics, will soon make it possible to install CarPlay after production on any car.

Google Android Auto

At the end of June, Google announced the release of Android Auto, an analogue of the CarPlay system for Android OS. Google's new "technological attack" is exactly the same system, but designed specifically for the operating room. Android systems versions L and later OS. After Google bought Android, new products from another giant of the information age are being looked at in the same way as Apple.

All a driver needs to do to operate this system, designed for seamless operations, is to connect their phone to Android based to the car panel. Voila! All your favorite apps, important contacts and messages are now right in front of you on the display, ready to go.

Unlike CarPlay, Google's Android Auto supports more apps. Starting the list with the most important, it is worth indicating Google Maps, which acts as a navigator with free voice control, current information about traffic jams, with the selection of the best route and with voice warnings. Of course, Android Auto supports many applications for listening to music for every taste: its “native” Google Play Music, Pandora Internet Radio, Songza and other popular applications for music lovers.

As in CarPlay, the main idea in creating the Android Auto system is aimed at making the driver’s work easier while driving, at reducing the actions that limit the freedom of driving, and, accordingly, at safety on the road. Therefore, Android Auto has the simplest and most intuitive interface, controllers integrated into the steering wheel and, of course, a dynamic voice recognition system.

Android Auto, unlike the already released CarPlay, is still awaiting its release in the near future. According to information from Google, 25 new models from different brands will be equipped with the system very soon. The first cars with an Android interface will be available for sale by the end of this year. According to the latest information, the first brands to use Android Auto in their new models will be Subaru, Volvo, Audi, Chrysler, Dodge and Chevrolet.