Transition from Android Auto/Carplay to Tesla

[UsernamesRHard]

Since Apple has announced they will be selling EVs to compete with Tesla, it is very, very unlikely that Tesla would allow a direct competitor, Apple, to control the screen in the car.

Not sure how it works with Android Auto. Volvo and Polestar use a version of it for their car UI, but Google owns what is on the screen. Tesla wouldn't, and shouldn't, allow that.

Apple has not announced they are making an EV.

 

[ElectricAnt54]

Since Apple has announced they will be selling EVs to compete with Tesla, it is very, very unlikely that Tesla would allow a direct competitor, Apple, to control the screen in the car.

Not sure how it works with Android Auto. Volvo and Polestar use a version of it for their car UI, but Google owns what is on the screen. Tesla wouldn't, and shouldn't, allow that.

Polestar also supports Apple CarPlay gui as it can coexist in android automotive OS (different than android auto). CarPlay and android auto are just projections from phone to a graphic user interface widget controlled by car’s underlying operating system.

 

[laservet]

Apple has not announced they are making an EV.

Correct, they have not announced it.

Apple Car: It's no secret, Apple's actively working on Car tech

Personally, I doubt they will be able to pull it off. Once they lost Jobs they have done little in the way of new innovative products, just fine tuning what they already have out there.

The OS that Volvo and Polestar use is Google Automotive. They sold their souls to not have the cost of developing their own software that doesn't suck.

Edit: For those who want Car Play or Android Auto (I've used both extensively in other cars), what is it they give that you don't get with Tesla (besides their cartoonish interfaces)?

 

[fsb1]

Correct, they have not announced it.

Apple Car: It's no secret, Apple's actively working on Car tech

Personally, I doubt they will be able to pull it off. Once they lost Jobs they have done little in the way of new innovative products, just fine tuning what they already have out there.

The OS that Volvo and Polestar use is Google Automotive. They sold their souls to not have the cost of developing their own software that doesn't suck.

Edit: For those who want Car Play or Android Auto (I've used both extensively in other cars), what is it they give that you don't get with Tesla (besides their cartoonish interfaces)?

I seriously doubt that Apple will be producing a vehicle. Manufacturing a vehicle just doesn't seem to be an area that appeals to Apple, and it has nothing to do with Jobs.

What does appear to be something Apple would do is create the software that other people's vehicles would run on. Not just Carplay, although that's a huge part of it, but something that would control the vehicle and communicate via an Apple device (iPhone, Watch, etc) as well as other vehicles, road sensors, etc.

 

[honor_the_driv]

Edit: For those who want Car Play or Android Auto (I've used both extensively in other cars), what is it they give that you don't get with Tesla (besides their cartoonish interfaces)?

@laservet for me I like the ability to use the apps that can be projected. I'm an Android user and listed to podcasts through Pocket Casts. That app works in AA and its great bc at a read light I can get new podcase episodes, I can go through my podcast playlist (I'll do this if my daughter is in the car and I need to switch podcasts bc the topic is not appropriate for little kids. Now that I go the MY I have to play the podcasts via Bluetooth, which means that if Pocket Casts was not already paused I have to go to the phone, switch to the app, and hit play. Its a minor inconvenience but after using AA so long I do wish that Tesla had a good way to achieve the same thing without having to pay for a premium Spotify subscription.

Aside from that minor inconvenience everything else is super smooth with the built in infotainment. I've had the car for just a few days now and everything I thought I'd missed I now know how to address directly in the car.

 

[laservet]

I seriously doubt that Apple will be producing a vehicle. Manufacturing a vehicle just doesn't seem to be an area that appeals to Apple, and it has nothing to do with Jobs.

What does appear to be something Apple would do is create the software that other people's vehicles would run on. Not just Carplay, although that's a huge part of it, but something that would control the vehicle and communicate via an Apple device (iPhone, Watch, etc) as well as other vehicles, road sensors, etc.

Agreed. If Apple does their own EV (IIRC they have shown a prototype) they will use the same method as Fisker and have Magna or Foxconn manufacture the cars. Just like Foxconn makes iPhones. While Apple could make their cars, they have the money, it makes little sense to spend billions and years to build and ramp up car factories. Just supply the OS and let an expert in car manufacturing build it. Magna makes the BMW 5, Jaguar iPace, the prestigious Mercedes G Wagon. And now VW bought 5% of XPeng in China and will sell VW badged, XPeng designed and made, EVs because they have fallen so far behind.

 

[flai54]

Hi all. I'm likely going to order a Model Y within the next week but the biggest question I still have is how to get as much benefit from the Tesla interface as I currently can from Android Auto, or Apple Carplay in my wife's case. From what I can tell the UI has several apps installed on it.

1. Is there an official list of all apps currently installed on Teslas?
2. Does Tesla have something like an app store for additional apps?
3. If I have a login for something like Spotify and my wife has her own login is there a way to rapidly switch between our saved logins, or would we have to login as the other person whenever we want to switch?
4. With Android Auto. I love that if I have a calendar event saved with an address, I can click on the event and set it as the destination. Is there any way to get that functionality?

There are third party accessories that you can buy to regain access to AA and Carplay if you really need it.

 

[nemodio]

if you use android auto, google “tesla android project”. It does CarPlay and android auto in the center console. Currently only wired android auto but soon wireless. For CarPlay it does wired & wireless. I use it for CarPlay and love it since tesla infotainment can’t compare to the tight integration of these eco systems + voice control that AA & CarPlay have due to google assistant & Siri.

The tesla android project is over 2x Carlink or other wireless Carplay devices. Besides open source, what functionality does the tesla android project have over the other carplay solutions?

 

[ElectricAnt54]

The tesla android project is over 2x Carlink or other wireless Carplay devices. Besides open source, what functionality does the tesla android project have over the other carplay solutions?

@nemodio Tesla Android is offers CarPlay and Android Auto functionality and more. It is a mini computer (Raspberry Pi 4B or ComputerModule 4) with 4GB or 8GB RAM running a modified Android OS, your center screen is an Android OS tablet basically.

If you have a Model 3 older than 2021 you'll need to use the Compute Module 4 bundle since it has external strong wifi antennas. Older model 3 has weak wi-fi which causes poor performance.

1. Tesla Android project incorporates new tech often if it seems beneficial. Just last week I got a beta update which brings new GPU acceleration via Vulkan Graphics Platform.
2. Active user community on Reddit, Slack & X. Places where you actually can get real help by people who use the product daily.
3. Tesla Android has over the air updates too.
4. Run Android OS native apps with no compression added to audio. Audio can be streamed to Tesla browser via WIFI at 48Khz uncompressed PCM codec.
5. Because of the above, you can play Apple Music's lossless media codec without adding lossy compression due to Bluetooth transmission. You can also play lossless music from other Android Os Apps.
6. Hook up an external HDMI monitor the the hardware, set it up in the back of the car so kids can watch movies on a bigger screen. Audio comes through Tesla sound system & if you do not want to listen, pair wireless bluetooth headphones to Tesla Android so the kids and listen and you can chill. I know of one person in Europe doing this in their older Model X...Though they have to lower resolution to 480P..newer HW3 and HW4 cars can go higher resolution.
7. Some people play 2D simple games. I don't. Some older cars like HW3 with Intel Atom might require Tesla Android to run in lower resolution for better performance. Audio might have to be via bluetooth.
8. If you use Google platform, login to Google and the device joins your ecosystem.
9. You can use Google Voice asssistant, connect a USB microphone to the hardware & talk to the system to open Apple Music and play some music for example. I think if you connect to bluetooth you can use car's microphone, not totally sure.
10. Run Android OS apps which require a GPS such as Waze. The GPS info is obtained from Tesla browser. Works really well. This is great for people who like Android eco system and don't want Android Auto's simplified
11. Listen to videos played via popular programs such as YouTube, VLC, etc while driving. The video plays too so passenger can watch while you drive. Some might say this seems like a possible distraction but I see people doing the same by placing tablets or phones in holders. These apps do not come preinstalled, users have to actively install them via Google Play store app.

 

[iCharge]

@nemodio Tesla Android is offers CarPlay and Android Auto functionality and more. It is a mini computer (Raspberry Pi 4B or ComputerModule 4) with 4GB or 8GB RAM running a modified Android OS, your center screen is an Android OS tablet basically.

If you have a Model 3 older than 2021 you'll need to use the Compute Module 4 bundle since it has external strong wifi antennas. Older model 3 has weak wi-fi which causes poor performance.

1. Tesla Android project incorporates new tech often if it seems beneficial. Just last week I got a beta update which brings new GPU acceleration via Vulkan Graphics Platform.
2. Active user community on Reddit, Slack & X. Places where you actually can get real help by people who use the product daily.
3. Tesla Android has over the air updates too.
4. Run Android OS native apps with no compression added to audio. Audio can be streamed to Tesla browser via WIFI at 48Khz uncompressed PCM codec.
5. Because of the above, you can play Apple Music's lossless media codec without adding lossy compression due to Bluetooth transmission. You can also play lossless music from other Android Os Apps.
6. Hook up an external HDMI monitor the the hardware, set it up in the back of the car so kids can watch movies on a bigger screen. Audio comes through Tesla sound system & if you do not want to listen, pair wireless bluetooth headphones to Tesla Android so the kids and listen and you can chill. I know of one person in Europe doing this in their older Model X...Though they have to lower resolution to 480P..newer HW3 and HW4 cars can go higher resolution.
7. Some people play 2D simple games. I don't. Some older cars like HW3 with Intel Atom might require Tesla Android to run in lower resolution for better performance. Audio might have to be via bluetooth.
8. If you use Google platform, login to Google and the device joins your ecosystem.
9. You can use Google Voice asssistant, connect a USB microphone to the hardware & talk to the system to open Apple Music and play some music for example. I think if you connect to bluetooth you can use car's microphone, not totally sure.
10. Run Android OS apps which require a GPS such as Waze. The GPS info is obtained from Tesla browser. Works really well. This is great for people who like Android eco system and don't want Android Auto's simplified
11. Listen to videos played via popular programs such as YouTube, VLC, etc while driving. The video plays too so passenger can watch while you drive. Some might say this seems like a possible distraction but I see people doing the same by placing tablets or phones in holders. These apps do not come preinstalled, users have to actively install them via Google Play store app.

I just read about this today on 9to5mac. Project that brings CarPlay to Tesla gets a major boost with improved performance, hardware bundle - 9to5Mac
How is your experience with the device ?
Anyway my older vehicle can get it to work ??

 

[ElectricAnt54]

I just read about this today on 9to5mac. Project that brings CarPlay to Tesla gets a major boost with improved performance, hardware bundle - 9to5Mac
How is your experience with the device ?
Anyway my older vehicle can get it to work ??

The requirements page say this: "Note: MCU 1 (cars previous to March 2018 without an infotainment upgrade) are not supported, as the built-in browser is out of date and too slow."

If you do have the upgrade, get the premade CM4 bundle with the large antennas. You'll need that since you have an older car. Even 2019,2020 and maybe 2021 model 3 needs the premade bundle due to the cars having weak wifi.

For CarPlay, the premade bundle works well & it does so much more than just CarPlay. The system is updated often by the developer too which is nice. My bundle uses the newer carlinkit cpc200-ccpa dongle which 2023.x firmware and it is a tad more finicky than the devices with 2022.x firmware but still very usable. Once in a while (one attempt per week) CarPlay doesn't connect but will later on...I suspect carlinkit and developers of autokit app will fix the glitch. My older dongle is rock solid though so seems like a carlinkit issue.