CarPlay Impressions

[RMBB]

I will not be getting my car for a little while still
So it would be great if anyone who has CarPlay with an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus to test out the latest iOS release from Apple iOS 9 (released publicly yesterday).

In this release CarPlay now works wirelessly through the Bluetooth connection (as well as the Cable).

Anyone willing to give it a test with their impressions?
Things to lookout for which will be different from cable connection is (but not limited to):
- Responsiveness (lag in the Menus/Maps/Siri)
- Ease of use (what happens when you get in the car and turn it on. Once you've already paired - Everyday wireless use)
- Any bugs/glitches?
- Does the CarPlay app in the car launch automatically like it does when plug the phone in via the cable?
- Does CarPlay need updating to support the new wireless features (VW CarPlay not the phone)?
- Anything else you've noticed

Thanks, much appreciated!

[SIRIoz]

Car arrives late next week so will be throughly testing iOS 9 with 6+. Apple release notes for iOS9 included:
• CarPlay improvements
- Plays back audio messages, letting you hear from people in their own voices
- Full support for car knob controls, so you can tilt and spin to scroll through lists or pan around in Maps
- Support for CarPlay apps from auto manufacturers

[RMBB]

Car arrives late next week so will be throughly testing iOS 9 with 6+. Apple release notes for iOS9 included:
• CarPlay improvements
- Plays back audio messages, letting you hear from people in their own voices
- Full support for car knob controls, so you can tilt and spin to scroll through lists or pan around in Maps
- Support for CarPlay apps from auto manufacturers

Legend! Looking forward to it!

[Ralfi]

In this release CarPlay now works wirelessly through the Bluetooth connection (as well as the Cable).

Anyone willing to give it a test with their impressions?
Things to lookout for which will be different from cable connection is (but not limited to):
- Responsiveness (lag in the Menus/Maps/Siri)
- Ease of use (what happens when you get in the car and turn it on. Once you've already paired - Everyday wireless use)
- Any bugs/glitches?
- Does the CarPlay app in the car launch automatically like it does when plug the phone in via the cable?
- Does CarPlay need updating to support the new wireless features (VW CarPlay not the phone)?
- Anything else you've noticed

Thanks, much appreciated!

Just updating to IOS9 now on my iPhone 5!

I'll aim to test it out over BT over the weekend.

Love how CarPlay is another thing which will be constantly evolving. It's great currently so let's hope it keeps improving!

[mattaus]

Well I had another crack with AndroidAuto and a few different USB cables. It connected this time but crashed out and then wouldn't reconnect. I'm putting it down to my phone. It's old and running an OS designed for much newer phones so may be struggling (although funnily enough it feels much faster than it did with the stock ROM).

It just annoys me that I get my car in the next 2 weeks, but am waiting until the release of the Nexus 5X (or whatever they call it) before upgrading my phone. I'll have my shiny new MIB-II system and nothing to use it properly with

[Ralfi]

Wireless CarPlay IS in IOS9! But not supported by VW?

Well tried to connect to CarPlay via BT a couple of times today after installing IOS9.

No go.

Not surprising seeing as it wasn't mentioned in the IOS update notes.

Edit.....
HANG ON...I just found a setting on the iPhone to enable wireless CarPlay over Bluetooth!!

So I'll be testing it out tomorrow!

Edit....
Ahh still no go....I think it's VW's end which is preventing CarPlay over Bluetooth, as the car manual specifically states "The following points apply when an Apple CarPlay connection is active: it is not [manual's emphasis] possible to connect mobile devices to the infotainment system via Bluetooth".

Also... "The mobile device must [manual emphasis] be connected to the infotainment system via USB."

IOS settings re: setting up CarPlay over Bluetooth; "if your car supports wireless CarPlay [my emphasis], press and hold the voice control button on your steering wheel to start CarPlay set up".....when I did this, nothing happened.

May require a software update from VW?....don't hold breath..

Apologies for getting hopes up!

[RMBB]

Well tried to connect to CarPlay via BT a couple of times today after installing IOS9.

No go.

Not surprising seeing as it wasn't mentioned in the IOS update notes.

Edit.....
HANG ON...I just found a setting on the iPhone to enable wireless CarPlay over Bluetooth!!

So I'll be testing it out tomorrow!

Edit....
Ahh still no go....I think it's VW's end which is preventing CarPlay over Bluetooth, as the car manual specifically states "The following points apply when an Apple CarPlay connection is active: it is not [manual's emphasis] possible to connect mobile devices to the infotainment system via Bluetooth".

Also... "The mobile device must [manual emphasis] be connected to the infotainment system via USB."

IOS settings re: setting up CarPlay over Bluetooth; "if your car supports wireless CarPlay [my emphasis], press and hold the voice control button on your steering wheel to start CarPlay set up".....when I did this, nothing happened.

May require a software update from VW?....don't hold breath..

Apologies for getting hopes up!

Thanks for the investigation Ralfi!

I agree that VW will probably need to update something on their end (and to not hold our breath).
After doing some reading, it looks like there may have to be some software or hardware changes to support Wireless CarPlay. The first hurdle will depend on what Bluetooth version VW use dictating if it can handle the bandwidth for Wireless CarPlay.

Also, just so no one else goes down the CarPlay will use Wi-Fi discussion (because there are a few misleading articles on the internet), it won't, it uses Bluetooth.

If anyone can also confirm that they can't connect wirelessly to CarPlay just let us know what iPhone you've got as well.
The way to test it is to have iOS9 on iPhone 5 and above. Then go into Settings > General > CarPlay > Select 'Turn on Bluetooth' if it comes up.

I feel like there should be a way to make the car search for the phone to complete the paring process.

Anyway, let me know if anyone else has any success or failure. Thanks!

[SIRIoz]

No wireless. iPhone 6s+ in alltrack golf[emoji24]

[RMBB]

No wireless. iPhone 6s+ in alltrack golf[emoji24]

Thanks for checking SIRIoz, I'm starting to think an update will be required. I have a hunch that the Bluetooth and hardware currently in the cars would be capable of it. Just a question of whether VW will update their software.

Will have to call VW and ask if they will be supporting it in the future to find out for sure.

[Ralfi]

App-Connect link on VW website fyi...
Volkswagen Smartphone App Connect | VW Australia

[mattaus]

I had a brief play with AndroidAuto again today. With a slightly newer (and beefier) phone, it connected and worked!

It did lock up on me once (had to quit to the Volkswagen home screen to get AA to respond again). It did this when trying to use voice search. It also lost bluetooth audio after every voice search. Basically it'd listen, then respond via the phone's speaker rather than the car. Any music I had playing also continued through the phone rather than the car. It did this without fail so I'm guessing it's a bug (or something wrong with my phone).

Using Spotify was good, but I have found that if I select a play list it starts playing that playlist without letting you select the initial song. I also cannot seem to find a way to actually view the playlist, so if I'm after a particular song I have to hit skip until I find it.

Obviously early days and I need to have a much bigger play with it before passing judgement. Google is having a a big event tomorrow morning to announce new phones, an updated OS, and probably a few other items (including changes to AndroidAuto if rumors are to be believed) so I'm hopeful things will improve.

[Ralfi]

Is there a reason why you're using Bluetooth for audio, whilst Android Auto is functioning via a cabled connection?

[mattaus]

Is there a reason why you're using Bluetooth for audio, whilst Android Auto is functioning via a cabled connection?

I was under the impression a bluetooth connection was required for full AA functionality? I'm home now so would go have a longer play with AA, however I cannot find the air bag fuse so I can't install my S2T paddles. 10 minute install my a*se. Now I've got a headache. Grrr

[Ralfi]

I was under the impression a bluetooth connection was required for full AA functionality? I'm home now so would go have a longer play with AA, however I cannot find the air bag fuse so I can't install my S2T paddles. 10 minute install my a*se. Now I've got a headache. Grrr

With CarPlay, as soon as you connect the cable to the phone, Bluetooth is disabled on that phone (a secondary phone can still be connected via Bluetooth). So it's either App Connect via cable or non-App Connect via Bluetooth.

I thought Android Auto behaved the same as CarPlay?

[Ralfi]

Connection bugs

Noticed a more frequent occurrence of a bug happen yesterday; Non-detection of phone when connecting to Lightning cable.

The App-Connect screen would appear, but with no option to select CarPlay.

Turning MIB & engine off didn't work. Unplugging/reconnecting cable didn't work.

What did work was restarting the iPhone (5).

I could be wrong, but this bug may be triggered by not pausing the music before either unplugging the cable or turning off the engine/opening door (keyless system, where opening door shuts off MIB). It has happened 1 or 2 times previously, & I do remember testing things by not doing what I normally door when stopping the car (pausing music) on at least one of those occasions.

The bugs didn't stop there though; I was playing through an album & paused a track as I wanted to listen to the engine through some curvy roads but then suddenly a track started, but it wasn't the same track as I was listening to earlier - it was the first track listed on my device....the phone decided to start playing all my ~4000 songs. So I needed to find the album again, & start playing from the song it was up to.

It was pretty warm weather yesterday, but I'd be surprised it that contributed (car was chilly with the Aircon blaring ).