1. WHAT IS APPLE CARPLAY AND ANDROID AUTO?
Apple CarPlay is a user interface designed by Apple Inc specifically for vehicles. It is designed to display applications from your phone onto the built-in display of your vehicle dash. Android Auto is designed by Android Inc/Google Inc and provides similar features to Apple CarPlay.
2. WHAT APPS ARE AVAILABLE WHEN USING CARPLAY AND ANDROID AUTO?
Messages: iMessage, WhatsApp and various other messaging applications are available when using CarPlay/Android Auto. The driver (or passenger) can write, send and read messages using Siri/voice activation.
Music: iTunes(CarPlay only), Amazon Music, Spotify, Radio Apps such as Radio.net, BBC iRadio and many more can be used with the CarPlay/Android Auto application. Music is streamed from your phone to the CarPlay/Android Auto interface and then through your stereo system into the cabin using the existing stereo system in the car. The IMI-1000 interface will seamlesslessly integrate with your existing stereo system, delivering crisp audio via the auxiliary input on the built-in head unit.
Navigation: Apply Maps, Google Maps and Waze can be used for satellite navigation. The maps are always up to date, will react “real-time” to traffic jams and do not require a subcription unlike the the OEM maps offered by the vehicle manufacturers.
Audio Books and Podcasts: Why not listen to a book or podcast while you drive to work?
3. HOW MUCH DATA IS USED WHEN LISTENING TO THE RADIO OR SPOTIFY ETC VIA CARPLAY?
CarPlay radio/music apps will use around 50mb/hour when streaming music. If you were to drive for 1hr per day for 1 month while constantly listening to music via one of the CarPlay music straming apps, you would require around 1.5GB of data.
4. DO I NEED FACTORY NAVIGATION TO USE WAZE, GOOGLE MAPS AND APPLE MAPS?
No, this is one of the key benefits of our retrofit CarPlay/Android Auto upgrade – our system will effecitly upgrade “non-navigation” vehicles to become “nav-equipped”.
5. HOW DOES APPLE CARPLAY AND ANDROID AUTO WORK?
Apple Carplay and Android Auto work by connecting your iPhone/Android phone to your in-car entertainment system, the iPhone/android phone will tranmit the CarPlay/Android user interface to the vehicles display via the retrofit Carplay/Android Auto interface (the IMI-1000) and also allows the driver to control carplay using the factory fitted entertainment controls such as BMW i-Drive or Audi MMI. CarPlay can connect wirelessly or via a USB cable.
The wireless connection method for CarPlay is shown in the graphic below, you will notice the Bluetooth connection is dropped once the WiFi connection is established. Our IMI-1000 retrofit kit has both Bluetooth and WiFi antennas.
6. HOW DOES CARPLAY/ANDROID AUTO CONNECT TO MY PHONE?
The IMI-1000 multimedia interface connects to your iPhone/Android phone using either a wireless bluetooth connection or the supplied USB connection. If connecting by USB the Vehicle will also charge your phone while using CarPlay/Android Auto.
7. WILL MY ORIGINAL STEREO SYSTEM STILL WORK AFTER THE IMI-1000 IS INSTALLED (DAB, AM/FW, ETC)?
Yes your standard in-car entertainment system remains fully functional. when you want to use CarPlay/Android Auto, you enable it by holding down the “8 digit” on the OEM car stereo. CarPlay will then be enabled and displayed on the LCD display, you can switch back to iDrive at any time.
8. WILL MY PHONE AUTOMATICALLY CONNECT TO CARPLAY WHEN I GET IN THE CAR?
Once initially paired, your iPhone will automatically connect to CarPlay when you get in the car.
For any further queries or info please contact us and speak to one of our team.