These are two of the most popular platforms that provide an extensive integration of our smartphone with the vehicle. This gives users access to many features that greatly enhance driver and passenger comfort, making the car a little more customized to our expectations.
Android Auto on the car display – wired
If you have a device with Android 10 or newer software version, it is a very simple process. Just download the Android Auto application from Google Play. The next step is to connect the device with a compatible vehicle by wire.
Now we have to start the car engine and unlock the phone, for example by drawing our security lock pattern on it or unlocking it in any other predetermined way. All we need to do now is to accept a few more terms on the device screen and after a while we will be able to enjoy a functional platform in our vehicle.
Android Auto on the car display – wirelessly
The first step differs little from the method described above. The only difference is that we have to connect later to the hotspot that our car generates and enter the appropriate password. You can usually find it in the manual or change it using the screen in the vehicle.
Then you need to go into settings and further into the network and wireless connection tab. The name may vary slightly depending on the manufacturer of your smartphone. You need to find the network, the name of which should refer to the name of the vehicle you have, then you connect, allowing the access of the device.
An alternative method is the traditional Bluetooth connection. In this situation, in the settings you have to go to the Bluetooth tab and connect to the vehicle and then authorize yourself by entering the previously established four-digit security code. Now you just give a few consents on the smartphone screen and after a while you can enjoy wireless connectivity within the Android Auto software. This shows quite well that the answer to the question of how to connect Android Auto is very simple.
Android Car on phone screen
At first, make sure that your phone meets the necessary technical requirements. It is assumed that the device should have no less than 2 GB of RAM. It would also be good if the smartphone runs on Android 10 or a newer version.
All you have to do is download and install the app from the Google Play, so the whole process is pretty much effortless. How to manage Android Auto once you’ve paired the device with the vehicle? Most of the work is actually done by itself.
The screen should switch to a simplified mode, so that the driver will only have access to a few basic functions, including navigation, contacts and a few Android Auto compatible apps. As intended by Google’s developers, this is supposed to increase the driver’s level of safety on the road.
Apple CarPlay configuration
Connecting an Apple device is very similar to what the engineers who created Android relied on. Usually, all you need is a manufacturer-supplied Lighting cable and a bit of patience.
Apple is famous for its very long technical support for its products, so that even the aged iPhone 5, presented in 2007, still provides full compatibility with Apple CarPlay software. This allows us to conclude that the answer to the question of how to connect Apple CarPlay is very simple: all you need is a manufacturer-supplied cable or its good quality replacement.
After a while, the smartphone interface will change and go into a simplified mode. It is also worth remembering to check beforehand whether the car with which you want to pair your phone is officially supported. This information can be found on the manufacturer’s website. If it is not there, nothing lost. Sometimes it is enough to purchase a compatible radio from another company, so that you can enjoy the full functionality of this platform in your vehicle.
Check out our selection of Apple CarPlay for Audi modules.
