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Why CarPlay?
- Thread starter Animal_UK
- Start date
They are missing…everything CarPlay is able to do. I don’t understand your question.
You're thinking that you can stream music anyway without Apple Carplay / Android Auto? That is true. You can also navigate. However, you are stuck with the apps that Tesla provides. I for example would love to use Youtube Music for music streaming as I'm subscribed already. Can't do that without using my cell phone's data plan.
Apple Carplay / Android Auto support essentially means replicating your phone's screen on the car's screen and supporting user input (touches) on that second screen. You can run the apps you want. Don't like Apple Maps? Just run Google Maps, Waze or other... etc...
By not supporting these widespread standards, Tesla forces us into their user experience, removing the possibility to choose otherwise. We'd still use the Tesla UI/UX if it was better than Carplay/Auto, without blocking us...
EDIT: I made one slight mistake in my answer. Carplay/Auto will systematically use the cell phone's data plan, they cannot use the car's data connection. The only exception would be if the car provided a hotspot that the cell phone could connect to. You can forget about that as it could too easily be abused. At least that's my understanding based on what I've read.
Apple Carplay / Android Auto support essentially means replicating your phone's screen on the car's screen and supporting user input (touches) on that second screen. You can run the apps you want. Don't like Apple Maps? Just run Google Maps, Waze or other... etc...
By not supporting these widespread standards, Tesla forces us into their user experience, removing the possibility to choose otherwise. We'd still use the Tesla UI/UX if it was better than Carplay/Auto, without blocking us...
EDIT: I made one slight mistake in my answer. Carplay/Auto will systematically use the cell phone's data plan, they cannot use the car's data connection. The only exception would be if the car provided a hotspot that the cell phone could connect to. You can forget about that as it could too easily be abused. At least that's my understanding based on what I've read.
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linux-works
Active Member
its my understanding that tesla wrote their own UI toolkit and so they aren't running an easy/standard version of android.
porting an app over to a non-standard UI system is not trivial and one fear is security bugs being introduced. its one reason why its unlikely that big apps like this would get ported over.
when you go your own way, you lose the easy integration of OTS apps, but when you go your own way, you also control security a bit better. so there are pros and cons.
the less apps on the car, the better; but I'm into security and so I see things differently than most.
porting an app over to a non-standard UI system is not trivial and one fear is security bugs being introduced. its one reason why its unlikely that big apps like this would get ported over.
when you go your own way, you lose the easy integration of OTS apps, but when you go your own way, you also control security a bit better. so there are pros and cons.
the less apps on the car, the better; but I'm into security and so I see things differently than most.
Makes sense and was just wondering - thanks.
I do like my carplay and have jailbroken my iphone to allow me to stream exactly what is on my phone to the screen in the car. Works great with Live TV, you tube etc.
hmm. wonder if I can stream live TV from the browser on the Tesla. Anyway - that's a different story/thread and thanks again. I'll sit back patiently waiting for my own Tesla so can get involved more in this community.
I do like my carplay and have jailbroken my iphone to allow me to stream exactly what is on my phone to the screen in the car. Works great with Live TV, you tube etc.
hmm. wonder if I can stream live TV from the browser on the Tesla. Anyway - that's a different story/thread and thanks again. I'll sit back patiently waiting for my own Tesla so can get involved more in this community.
Naija King
OD 7/24 - VIN 12/24 -DD 12/25
I want a Tesla, not an Apple version of a Tesla. If that’s makes any sense lol
- There are some functionality gaps (e.g., native access to various streaming services).
- The need to re-authenticate to existing services can be irritating.
- The UI is not the familiar look and feel of iOS.
I haven't had to live with the Tesla UI yet (waiting patiently for my ordered vehicle) but I think the functionality gaps might be the most irritating to me. The authentication issue hopefully wouldn't be an issue once you get logged in to everything. While I might not relish learning another UI, it's not the end of the world, particularly since most of it is vehicle control and not common to CarPlay anyway.
While my experience with CarPlay is limited to rental vehicles and loaners, I will say that I do find it jarring to bounce between the pseudo-iOS UI of CarPlay and the car's native infotainment UI. In a vehicle like a Tesla, it would be particularly jarring given how most everything is managed through the computer. Making things more CarPlay-like isn't going to work because the Android folks would lose their minds.
sleepydoc
Well-Known Member
Why is carplay better than Tesla’s interface? Let me see if I can cover it in less than 10,000 words…
Music - tesla gives you spotify and Tesla’s streaming. Carplay gives you Spotify, pandora, apple music, and any other service you have on your iphone. You can also use your play lists, etc. If I’ve listened to an album at home, it’s already in my phone’s memory, I don‘t have to search for it again. If you are paying for a spotify membership then this may not be a huge deal. If you use anything else, it is.
Podcasts - how to say this delicately…TuneIn Sucks. Bad. It makes Ford Sync look good. With carplay you can use Apple’s podcast app, or any other podcast app. Carplay remembers which podcasts I’ve listened to and remembers where I was if I stopped in the middle. If I start in one car then take our other car later on, I have the same list of podcasts and can start back up at the same spot I left off. Tunein can’t even remember where it was if turn the car off to run into Jimmy Johns. Then there’s the random logging out or simply not downloading podcasts.
Texting - Tesla does a good job of reading text messages and transcribing new ones; assuming you have received a message from someone since you got in the car. If I want to send a message to someone that isn’t a reply, forget it.
Calling - CarPlay is much more convenient for calling someone in your address book. If you’re just dialing a number Tesla does fine, but which do you do more often?
Maps - The tesla map app is quite good, and in general, it’s the best part of the Interface. I’ve found it to be at least as accurate as apple maps or google maps. Car Play gives you Apple Maps, Google Maps, Waze, etc. It also integrates wtih your address book and calendar so destinations are easier to look up/smarter. Apple and Google do a better job wtih traffic, but Tesla does a better job with Super Chargers and estimated battery. In reality, I’m usually not driving far enough that battery charge or super charger locations are an issue.
Audio books - Tesla‘s got nothing.
Other audio streams - nope; car play lets you do whatever you have an app for.
Finally, to keep using Tesla’s streaming services, you have to pay $10 per month. Car Play lets you use your cellular connection.
So yeah, Car Play pretty much whoops Tesla’s ass. I haven’t used it, but I suspect AndroidAuto would be similar.
Music - tesla gives you spotify and Tesla’s streaming. Carplay gives you Spotify, pandora, apple music, and any other service you have on your iphone. You can also use your play lists, etc. If I’ve listened to an album at home, it’s already in my phone’s memory, I don‘t have to search for it again. If you are paying for a spotify membership then this may not be a huge deal. If you use anything else, it is.
Podcasts - how to say this delicately…TuneIn Sucks. Bad. It makes Ford Sync look good. With carplay you can use Apple’s podcast app, or any other podcast app. Carplay remembers which podcasts I’ve listened to and remembers where I was if I stopped in the middle. If I start in one car then take our other car later on, I have the same list of podcasts and can start back up at the same spot I left off. Tunein can’t even remember where it was if turn the car off to run into Jimmy Johns. Then there’s the random logging out or simply not downloading podcasts.
Texting - Tesla does a good job of reading text messages and transcribing new ones; assuming you have received a message from someone since you got in the car. If I want to send a message to someone that isn’t a reply, forget it.
Calling - CarPlay is much more convenient for calling someone in your address book. If you’re just dialing a number Tesla does fine, but which do you do more often?
Maps - The tesla map app is quite good, and in general, it’s the best part of the Interface. I’ve found it to be at least as accurate as apple maps or google maps. Car Play gives you Apple Maps, Google Maps, Waze, etc. It also integrates wtih your address book and calendar so destinations are easier to look up/smarter. Apple and Google do a better job wtih traffic, but Tesla does a better job with Super Chargers and estimated battery. In reality, I’m usually not driving far enough that battery charge or super charger locations are an issue.
Audio books - Tesla‘s got nothing.
Other audio streams - nope; car play lets you do whatever you have an app for.
Finally, to keep using Tesla’s streaming services, you have to pay $10 per month. Car Play lets you use your cellular connection.
So yeah, Car Play pretty much whoops Tesla’s ass. I haven’t used it, but I suspect AndroidAuto would be similar.
sleepydoc
Well-Known Member
Not really - I have an Audi A4. It’s still and Audi, even if I use carplay, except it’s infinitely easier to listen to podcasts, stream music, etc.
Tesla retains responsibility for data security / integrity by their use of proprietary UI.
I for one am good with that for now, as a hack of AutoPilot / FSD would NOT be good.
I for one am good with that for now, as a hack of AutoPilot / FSD would NOT be good.
sleepydoc
Well-Known Member
CarPlay (and Android Auto, to my understanding) simply uses the car as an external display and speakers. There is no concern for data security/integrity
I used to post this too, but now that I am sitting in one, I've come to realize we don't need CarPlay as long as we use spotify. The only thing I miss is Waze, but simply don't need carPlay-- it feels dinosaur. The Tesla interface is clean, quick and easy to use already. CarPlay is restricted to the lower resolution audio (356kps.) A high format streamer would be appropriate for the new amazing sound systems in the S/X refresh and latest 3, though.
While true functionally, we really don't know what the risk of a hack to that pipeline is. And can't without source code.
Regardless, to avoid the finger-pointing of risk (oh, no one denies their accountability), I'm happy to have Tesla accountable.
sleepydoc
Well-Known Member
The CarPlay API is public, and there is no pipeline to hack. Your claim makes as much sense as saying you don’t want your laptop to support an external monitor because someone might hack the HDMI cable.
No one is forcing anyone to use CarPlay - there’s just a large number of people who would like to have the option. After driving a model Y for a year, I miss carplay every time I get in the car - to the point that my next car may not be a tesla if Elon doesn’t change his tune. There are a lot of good electric cars coming on the market now, and Tesla isnt’ the only game in town anymore.
can't disagree with the implication that competition is coming (a good thing), nor the desire of many people to utilize CarPlay and reduce the need to learn new things.
But no public API has EVER been repurposed.
I believe correct me if im wrong tesla’s interface is linux based, so i guess it would be hard(not impossible) to implement since almost every other ui from almost every other manufacturer is android based which is simpler to adapt and integrate carplay and android auto.
Podcasts - big one for me. I like to listen to them on different devices and I use the native podcast app. I have a feeling I'm going to just have to end up using BT to stream from my phone to keep it synced. Not a huge deal, but a step back from my current CarPlay experience.
Texting - definitely. I have to see how texting is in a Tesla, if it's possible, but I can see that being an issue.
Maps - funnily enough, I hate Waze on CarPlay. I can't do anything in the app on my phone and sometimes the app is more intuitive, shows more, and/or can show me what I'm looking for quicker.
You do realize that Android is based on Linux, right? Also, most cars on the road today uses windows QNX. I don’t miss CarPlay at all unlike some. I think if and when Tesla choose to add CarPlay/Android auto support, it’ll be just window shell like the web browser. Last but not least, CarPlay is projected to cars using good old HTTP. At least that’s how the wireless version works.
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