whitex
Well-Known Member
I'm sorry but I have to disagree. Tesla does not provide all the apps I want. For example, what is the Tesla equivalent of Waze with speed traps being displayed and option to report new ones? How about other 3rd party apps, like audio books, or radar detectors, etc. Apple CarPlay or Android Auto gives you access to competing apps. On Tesla you are stuck with apps Tesla wrote or convinced some poor developer to write for Tesla for free (see recent stories how Tesla approached various game developers and told them they will pay no licensing or NRE to port to Tesla, that "exposure" on Tesla cars is payment enough). Then there is a constant need to upgrade in order to even get the latest apps on Tesla. If you have as late as Feb 2018 Model S, you still have MCU1. Sure you can upgrade, but the upgrade costs more than a top of the line new iPhone, especially if you consider that you have to trade in the old MCU (you can upgrade your top of the line iPhone for less).CarPlay is nice, but not needed in my opinion. You get use to the Tesla infotainment system, and most of the features are supported. Slacker for streamlining music instead of Apple Music, iMessage integration to send and response to messages, browser, navigation with multi destinations with RTT along with HOV lane support. The only thing that is lacking is 3rd party app support, but then again most of those are part of the Infotainment system.
Waze is nice, but if you really need it, you're correct, you have to mount your iPhone/Android phone and use it that way.
I drove my kids' cars (which cost WAY less new than any Tesla) recently with Apple CarPlay. I only switched to Apple recently from Android since I have a Taycan coming and wanted wireless Apple Car Play vs. wired Anrdoid Auto. The experience on a much smaller screen is so much better! The only thing I missed about Tesla is the rear view camera always on top of the screen serving as a supplement to rear view mirror (and in my Model S as blind spot monitor, since Elon's idea of using ultrasonic sensors for that was moronic fail). Then again, Elon has tried to kill the ability to keep the rear view camera on top of the screen anyways, so it will probably go away at some point (perhaps another reason not to upgrade to newer MCU).