Waze now supports Apple CarPlay

[SauRoNZA]

I just tried CarPlay in a colleagues MkII Tiguan which has the new Discover Pro radio, Active Info Display and HUD and the same issues persist with not being able to access either your phone or media using the steering wheel controls via the Active Info Display.

I'm still not quite sure what the problem is you are experiencing?

Maybe you can go into more detail?

What do you try to do and which doesn't work using what buttons exactly?

****

Carplay would only mirror your phone onto the main screen, it does nothing more than that. What do you expect it to show on the Active Info Display?

 

[Neuk_]

That is swak from VW's part. Even more so as it's their topline system.

Yeah, the new Discover Pro radio is great although the touch screen only would drive my OCD insane. The Active Info Display is just brilliant and miles ahead of traditional analog/digital systems. As for Waze and CarPlay, I didn't have any issue with Waze itself but how CarPlay is integrated in to at least two VW's that I have used it in leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[Neuk_]

I'm still not quite sure what the problem is you are experiencing?

Maybe you can go into more detail?

What do you try to do and which doesn't work using what buttons exactly?

****

Carplay would only mirror your phone onto the main screen, it does nothing more than that. What do you expect it to show on the Active Info Display?

My issue isn't with Waze, or even CarPlay itself but how it is integrated in to at least VW's infotainment systems. As an example, if I have my phone connected via Bluetooth, I can use the steering wheel controls to go to my phone on the screen in my dashboard cluster where I can scroll through my recent calls and call my girlfriend for instance without removing my hands from the steering wheel or averting my eyes off the road too much. When my phone is connected via cable and using CarPlay I cannot do this at all, I am forced to remove my left hand from the steering and avert my eyes to my radio where I have to exit whatever it is was being displayed to access the phone app and start a call to my girlfriend. And then to take it one step further, while the call is connecting or I am on the phone, I cannot go back to Waze without the call being ended so 'multitasking' is impossible using CarPlay.

Perhaps I am being pedantic but the functionality offered by just the simple Bluetooth connection far outweighs having an app like Waze on a larger screen than my iPhone 7 offers.

 

[SauRoNZA]

My issue isn't with Waze, or even CarPlay itself but how it is integrated in to at least VW's infotainment systems. As an example, if I have my phone connected via Bluetooth, I can use the steering wheel controls to go to my phone on the screen in my dashboard cluster where I can scroll through my recent calls and call my girlfriend for instance without removing my hands from the steering wheel or averting my eyes off the road too much. When my phone is connected via cable and using CarPlay I cannot do this at all, I am forced to remove my left hand from the steering and avert my eyes to my radio where I have to exit whatever it is was being displayed to access the phone app and start a call to my girlfriend.

This is the case for any car.

You are meant to press the Voice Assistant button and then say "Call my girlfriend".

It is the most powerful feature of car play...not having to fiddle with buttons and looking at screens while driving.

And then to take it one step further, while the call is connecting or I am on the phone, I cannot go back to Waze without the call being ended so 'multitasking' is impossible using CarPlay.

This is a Waze problem at present I believe and I don't think it happens with Apple Maps, so will hopefully be sorted in future.

Perhaps I am being pedantic but the functionality offered by just the simple Bluetooth connection far outweighs having an app like Waze on a larger screen than my iPhone 7 offers.

I'm the other way around where the Bluetooth connectivity feels so old school and limiting to me, especially since I can't access Siri over Bluetooth which is just stupid and could have sorted out half of my issues with it.

Bluetooth has the advantage of not requiring being plugged in, which I realise is because of battery drain and would be solved with Wireless Carplay in future but remains irritating.

****

My biggest issue with the Kia implementation and probably more the fault of just the infotainment system in general is that it defaults to playing the Radio when disconnecting from stuff or not being forced off.

I have no interest in the Radio EVER. Why on earth would it force me to listen to it instead of STFU and waiting for me to tell it what to do?

 

[Neuk_]

This is the case for any car.

You are meant to press the Voice Assistant button and then say "Call my girlfriend".

It is the most powerful feature of car play...not having to fiddle with buttons and looking at screens while driving.

I have never got in to voice control or Siri other than laughing at asking Siri what zero divided by zero equals or where to dispose of a dead body. It is probably time that I give it a try again...

This is a Waze problem at present I believe and I don't think it happens with Apple Maps, so will hopefully be sorted in future.

That is a shame, at the moment I have Waze displayed on my phone with driving information on the main radio screen and then cycle between menu's on the dashboard cluster screen.

I'm the other way around where the Bluetooth connectivity feels so old school and limiting to me, especially since I can't access Siri over Bluetooth which is just stupid and could have sorted out half of my issues with it.

Bluetooth has the advantage of not requiring being plugged in, which I realise is because of battery drain and would be solved with Wireless Carplay in future but remains irritating.

I always have my phone plugged in, not to the media USB port but charging via the cigarette lighter but I do still enjoy the standard Bluetooth connection as I can use my phone for calls, media, etc. via the radio using the steering wheel controls. In my car I can access my contact list, music playlists, see album art, etc. so it doesn't feel old school to me at all.

My biggest issue with the Kia implementation and probably more the fault of just the infotainment system in general is that it defaults to playing the Radio when disconnecting from stuff or not being forced off.

I have no interest in the Radio EVER. Why on earth would it force me to listen to it instead of STFU and waiting for me to tell it what to do?

I haven't listened to radio in years, between **** music, blood boiling news reports and idiotic hosts, there is nothing worse. Podcasts and my own music only.

 

[Duan]

That is swak from VW's part. Even more so as it's their topline system.

I dont have that problem on the RCD330 plus

 

[Neuk_]

I have been using Apple Carplay for a little while now and not having access to my phone using the steering wheel controls via the dashboard cluster hasn't been a big of an issue as I thought it might be. I have had issues with CarPlay freezing and restarting as well as when I take phone calls the person calling can hear me but I can't hear them. I am giving it a try though, even trying the voice command...

 

[bwana]

I have been using Apple Carplay for a little while now and not having access to my phone using the steering wheel controls via the dashboard cluster hasn't been a big of an issue as I thought it might be. I have had issues with CarPlay freezing and restarting as well as when I take phone calls the person calling can hear me but I can't hear them. I am giving it a try though, even trying the voice command...

Are you sure the phone is set to use the head-unit rather than the handset itself?

 

[Neuk_]

I dont have that problem on the RCD330 plus

Could you take pictures of what you see in the dashboard cluster when using CarPlay and accessing your phone?

 

[Neuk_]

Are you sure the phone is set to use the head-unit rather than the handset itself?

I am pretty sure, I call them back and they can hear me, plus when I am using Waze all notifications are played using the car speakers.

 

[SauRoNZA]

I have been using Apple Carplay for a little while now and not having access to my phone using the steering wheel controls via the dashboard cluster hasn't been a big of an issue as I thought it might be. I have had issues with CarPlay freezing and restarting as well as when I take phone calls the person calling can hear me but I can't hear them. I am giving it a try though, even trying the voice command...

Could it be the car isn't "releasing" your phone from Bluetooth?

Maybe worth force disconnecting it or even turning BT off to check if things change.

 

[Neuk_]

Could it be the car isn't "releasing" your phone from Bluetooth?

Maybe worth force disconnecting it or even turning BT off to check if things change.

Doubt it, it gets disconnected automatically when it detects the phone is hard wired in and set up to use CarPlay. It also wouldn't explain why when I call back I don't have the same issue at all but I'll give it a try anyway.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Doubt it, it gets disconnected automatically when it detects the phone is hard wired in and set up to use CarPlay. It also wouldn't explain why when I call back I don't have the same issue at all but I'll give it a try anyway.

Yeah I'm just spitballing that it sounds like it gets confused about where to send the audio on an incoming call.

For all you know the people hear you because it's using the handset mic and not the car's.

Considering how you've explained the whole thing is broken in a VW I'm just assuming there are other things wrong with it.

 

[Neuk_]

Yeah I'm just spitballing that it sounds like it gets confused about where to send the audio on an incoming call.

For all you know the people hear you because it's using the handset mic and not the car's.

Considering how you've explained the whole thing is broken in a VW I'm just assuming there are other things wrong with it.

The strange thing is, my phone is stored in the compartment below the radio with the cover closed, so the sound must be terrible if the phone mic is picking it up!

 

[Neuk_]

I have been using CarPlay on a daily basis and am slowly adjusting to it but still find the lack of at least telephone information in the dashboard cluster irritating. Take this morning for instance, my girlfriend called on the way to work, the main entertainment screen went blank and the dashboard cluster simply says Apple CarPlay so I couldn't see who was calling. Like I said, an irritation more than a train smash but it does put a damper on the experience, like CarPlay crashing at times and restarting itself.

 

[SauRoNZA]

I have been using CarPlay on a daily basis and am slowly adjusting to it but still find the lack of at least telephone information in the dashboard cluster irritating. Take this morning for instance, my girlfriend called on the way to work, the main entertainment screen went blank and the dashboard cluster simply says Apple CarPlay so I couldn't see who was calling. Like I said, an irritation more than a train smash but it does put a damper on the experience, like CarPlay crashing at times and restarting itself.

Tell the girlfriend to call less.

But ja that does seem a bit irritating and I can understand why it seems wasteful.

I think ultimately Carplay was intended as an easy "all in" for cars that don't have their own navigation etc but have a big screen setup.

 

[Neuk_]

Tell the girlfriend to call less.

But ja that does seem a bit irritating and I can understand why it seems wasteful.

I think ultimately Carplay was intended as an easy "all in" for cars that don't have their own navigation etc but have a big screen setup.

I don't know how to put this, I am kind of a big deal, to my girlfriend anyway

I think you are right, CarPlay was developed as a platform for many different cars, so works well in some and not so well in others. It is great having it on the large infotainment screen for things like Waze, Music and Podcasts but it would be better with a bit of integration in to the dashboard cluster in my car. I will continue using it though, keeping up with the times and all that...

 

[bwana]

I think ultimately Carplay was intended as an easy "all in" for cars that don't have their own navigation etc but have a big screen setup.

Although I do question if there are many cars that come with bog displays but no built in navigation I do have to disagree. Carplay is way better than the built in system that came with my car, so is Android Auto if I'm being completely honest.

After getting my car back this morning, finally, I had an opportunity to test Google Maps via Car Play and it's pretty good. After driving for about seven hours there were zero car play crashes and Google Maps behaved itself admirably despite all the calls and messages I got though out the course of the day. Haven't tested Waze yet - maybe tomorrow as I continue my journeys.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Sorry I meant to say it was never designed for multi-display units, but rather for large single display setups only.

 

[bwana]

Tried Waze... didn't like it or see any reason to use it over anything else... so I deleted it.