CarPlay First Time CarPlay User

[Confuzzeled23]

Hey everyone,

I have a car rental, a Ford Eco Sport,
with CarPlay as an option. I tried using it last night. I used Google Maps which was fine. But a major annoyance is that you can’t see what music is playing as a floating info window or even a pop in notification when the track changes.

The only place I can see what is playing is an optional info screen where the speedometer info is.

Is this the only option other than switching between the maps app and the music app on the CarPlay display?

 

[chabig]

There are three other options:
1. If you have an Apple Watch, the watch face can display what is playing.
2. You can ask Siri what is playing.
3. You can look at the lock screen on your iPhone.

But the option you seem to dismiss (switching to the Music app) isn't a bad one. While the music is playing, the Map will pop up turn notifications.

 

[Confuzzeled23]

There are three other options:
1. If you have an Apple Watch, the watch face can display what is playing.
2. You can ask Siri what is playing.
3. You can look at the lock screen on your iPhone.

But the option you seem to dismiss (switching to the Music app) isn't a bad one. While the music is playing, the Map will pop up turn notifications.

Well all the options just seem a bit counterinterutive compared to a quick glance. Instead I have to take my eyes off the road for a longer period of time to click the music app button. Also invoking Siri will pause my music. Just something I’ve noticed.

 

[chabig]

Yeah, but what you're asking for also requires that you take your eyes off the road. I actually think Apple chose not to pop up song titles for that reason. It's just the way it is, which is still better than most auto maker systems.

 

[Juicy Box]

I have used CarPlay since 2015. Little things like what the OP mentioned is annoying on CP.

Yeah, but what you're asking for also requires that you take your eyes off the road. I actually think Apple chose not to pop up song titles for that reason. It's just the way it is, which is still better than most auto maker systems.

But...

But the option you seem to dismiss (switching to the Music app) isn't a bad one.

All options requires not only looking off the road, but also interaction with the CP system.

I understand that CP is suppose to make things safe, but I think it is safe to a fault. To do basic, simple, and usually quick tasks (like seeing what song is playing), CP causes more of a distraction to accomplish those task.

Between the bugs and issues like the OP mentioned, I feel like CP creates more of a distraction than it should.

 

[Remington Steel]

The only place I can see what is playing is an optional info screen where the speedometer info is.

...or you can just LISTEN to the turn-by-turn directions while the music playing is on the CarPlay screen? First world problem IMO.

 

[Confuzzeled23]

...or you can just LISTEN to the turn-by-turn directions while the music playing is on the CarPlay screen? First world problem IMO.

Ok. This is what annoys me many times posting in this forum. God forbid anyone question Apple’s decisions. It’s a simple discussion about what I feel is missing when compared to my Toyota Entune system. Half the screen has track info and the other half has a map and you can also LISTEN to turn by turn if you choose to do so. It’s something I enjoy and something I would like Apple to enable. But no. Everyone loses their minds here when you question anything. My whole ecosystem is Apple but it’s important not to just accept things they do. It’s a simple change that could be beneficial for many. I wish Apple allowed more customization and not their decided way of doing things.

 

[Remington Steel]

Ok. This is what annoys me many times posting in this forum. God forbid anyone question Apple’s decisions. It’s a simple discussion about what I feel is missing when compared to my Toyota Entune system. Half the screen has track info and the other half has a map and you can also LISTEN to turn by turn if you choose to do so. It’s something I enjoy and something I would like Apple to enable. But no. Everyone loses their minds here when you question anything. My whole ecosystem is Apple but it’s important not to just accept things they do. It’s a simple change that could be beneficial for many. I wish Apple allowed more customization and not their decided way of doing things.

They DO give you the option. The option YOU mentioned....the optional info screen where the speedometer info is. Maybe in a future update or future OS, Apple will allow the split screen on CarPlay, but for now, you have to settle with the available viewing options which IMO is sufficient enough. You have to realize that SAFETY is the #1 priority when developing viewing options for the driver, so Apple developers and the car manufacturers have to abide by several safety precautions.

 

[Juicy Box]

You have to realize that SAFETY is the #1 priority when developing viewing options for the driver, so Apple developers and the car manufacturers have to abide by several safety precautions.

If you think about it, safety is not the #1 priority. If it was, then there wouldn't be any distractions, including music, nav, phone calls, texts, and the driver's iPhone would be totally disabled while the car was in motion.

The #1 priority is finding a balance between safety and accomplishing tasks that normally cause a distraction while driving.

For the most part, I think that CP does a good job at this, but sometimes goes too far, and the OP's issue is an example of this. Although, I find the the bugs in CP and iOS cause a lot of distractions while driving.

 

[Remington Steel]

If you think about it, safety is not the #1 priority. If it was, then there wouldn't be any distractions, including music, nav, phone calls, texts, and the driver's iPhone would be totally disabled while the car was in motion.

The #1 priority is finding a balance between safety and accomplishing tasks that normally cause a distraction while driving.

For the most part, I think that CP does a good job at this, but sometimes goes too far, and the OP's issue is an example of this. Although, I find the the bugs in CP and iOS cause a lot of distractions while driving.

Tomato vs. tomatoe.

This is just a case where the OP (and many other CP users) won't be satisfied unless all their wants/demands are met without taking into consideration what Apple and car manufacturers rules of engagements are when "trying" to cover all bases as regards to the driver's options. I would like to just get in my car and say "hey Siri, drive me to work" while I take a nap during my morning commute, but hey....people in hell want ice water too.

 

[Juicy Box]

without taking into consideration what Apple and car manufacturers rules of engagements are when "trying" to cover all bases as regards to the driver's options.

This is just a re-wording of my post:

The #1 priority is finding a balance between safety and accomplishing tasks that normally cause a distraction while driving.

This is just a case where the OP (and many other CP users) won't be satisfied unless all their wants/demands are met

This is how all of life works, otherwise humans would be living in caves and clubbing their potential meal. This is especially how technology works, if the user's wants and demands were all met, then there wouldn't be a reason to release the next product.

I would like to just get in my car and say "hey Siri, drive me to work" while I take a nap during my morning commute

Like this and being able to see what song is playing is even close to the same thing.

Seeing the current song isn't anything new, and it can still be done while driving on CP, just not within another app.

Anyways, I get your point, and we actually agree on some of it, I just don't think the OP's wants should be ignored, along with many other CP users' wants, and blame it on safety. There should be some balance, as that is the point of CP, but the balance is just not something that we will all agree on.

 

[vigilant]

Switching via the side Dock is the best solution.

Having just spent over 10 hours yesterday driving, I'm personally glad Apple isn't trying to over populate the screen and keep people focused on the road. After seeing dozens of people swerving in and out of lanes, or riding between 2 lanes because people are visibly reading or texting it's clear that we have a huge issue with highway driving and not paying attention.

If you're controlling a device that could potentially hurt or kill other people because you're going 80, the best thing you could do is focus on the road. Not play with a screen to find out what Ariana Grande song is playing.

 

[Juicy Box]

Having just spent over 10 hours yesterday driving, I'm personally glad Apple isn't trying to over populate the screen and keep people focused on the road. After seeing dozens of people swerving in and out of lanes, or riding between 2 lanes because people are visibly reading or texting it's clear that we have a huge issue with highway driving and not paying attention.

There is a big difference between the stuff people are doing above and glancing at the screen to see what song is playing.

If you're controlling a device that could potentially hurt or kill other people because you're going 80, the best thing you could do is focus on the road. Not play with a screen to find out what Ariana Grande song is playing.

But, your solution does exactly what you are stating drivers shouldn't be doing:

Switching via the side Dock is the best solution.

This requires the driver's eyes off the road while using a touch screen.

Actually, doing this would be much more inline with the type of drives you encountered during your 10 hour drive yesterday.

I think it would be much safer having this information displayed in a way that would only require a glance to look at versus having to operate a touch screen.

That information is on CarPlay already. The difference is that to see the information a Nav screen causes more of a distraction than having it displayed already.

The point of CarPlay to to provide a balance of safety while providing information and entertainment. I think this is one area that something as simple as a looking at what song is playing could be more of a distraction than it has to be.