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First Volkswagen Cars With CarPlay Support Arriving at Dealerships

Macman1993 said:
I like the idea behind carplay, but the implementation just sucks. Why can't it just work like airplay and any app can send the UI to the car? This has become yet another category where either Apple or Google are in control, with no chance for a smaller developer to get involved. I'm sick of everything useful having to be either an Apple or Google product.
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I'm pretty sure developers can make their app work with CarPlay, and if enabled it'll show up with other apps on the CarPlay screen.

The whole purpose is so you don't have to fumble with your phone while in the car. Having each app do AirPlay to the screen really defeats the purpose of it.
 
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I installed the 4100Nex in my older Golf and Carplay works great! Ran the usb wire into the center console to be right next to the AUX. Of course this isnt a factory implementation but if you are looking for a cheaper solution (versus buying a new car), consider something like that.

To be fair, the VW systems monitor car "health" too and I did not try to mess with that on my system. Just wanted CarPlay and a super responsive touch screen.
 
velocityg4 said:
$200 per year is really steep for such simple wireless features. It's all really low data usage and most features would only rarely be used if ever. $15 per year sounds more appropriate.

As for Carplay it sounds neat. But will you have to replace your car stereo every three or four years to maintain compatibility? The car theft and crash detection/locating would be nothing more than a megabyte of data if that. As for diagnostics wouldn't that just be displaying the codes already in the cars computer without using a code reader?

The only one that might be of some value is parking information. If you live in a big city and all parking lots and parking meters are tied in.
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Carplay runs on the phone, not the radio. Your iPhone makes a second screen and uses the car's LCD panel to display it while taking touch data and other data (physical buttons that the car has like steering controls, GPS antenna, microphone input, other button input) back from the car. This is done via a USB interface.

Upgrading it is done by upgrading or updating your phone.
 
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utwarreng said:
Wonder if the head unit can be retrofitted into existing cars. I have a 2011 CC that I put a Pioneer 4000NEX into but hate. Getting something that would operate like the factory unit would be outstanding.
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Retrofitting older models with an original headunit from VW is definetly not possible. There are too many differences in the underlying architecture of the car and the necessary hardware (keypanels, display and other stuff).
 
velocityg4 said:
$200 per year is really steep for such simple wireless features. It's all really low data usage and most features would only rarely be used if ever. $15 per year sounds more appropriate.
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I agree, $200 for basic connectivity that doesn't even include remote start? Tesla.. please hurry with your model 3!
 
And then there's Honda:

- One of the first CarPlay partners...

- Allowing Apple to use images of a Honda cockpit in its advertising for over a year...

- Beta testing CarPlay in production 2015 vehicles...

- Dealer personnel and Honda reps encouraging the idea that the vehicles in the field with the compatible new generation Display Audio hardware would receive firmware updates... (And dispense with the clumsy HDMI/USB dual-cable interface)...

- And then announcing that Honda would support CarPlay only on "select" 2016 vehicles and there would be NO backward firmware updates for any vehicles in the field...

If all this is correct, it would seem Honda has given up taking care of customers who purchased 2014/5/6 vehicles in good faith understanding there would be a CarPlay firmware update in their future.

I'm old enough to remember when Honda was generous with goodwill and bent over backward to ensure customer surprise and delight.

If it is true that Honda is withholding firmware updates from customer vehicles that are otherwise equipped with the hardware necessary to support them, than that is a very sorry state of affairs.

We were intending to buy a Fit and on the basis of Honda's "more info will be forthcoming soon", we waited and waited and waited, and now this...

We have waited this long, I think it is time to take a step back and look at competing brands offering CarPlay instead of Honda.

Note: I wonder if Honda is greedily trying to protect its unsustainable EX-L w/Navi option -that adds a couple thousand bucks of revenue (and probably as much profit) on each one sold- as it recognizes it developed an option as well as the Honda Link interface that have no real raison d'être since the rise of CarPlay.
 
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wido said:
Retrofitting older models with an original headunit from VW is definetly not possible. There are too many differences in the underlying architecture of the car and the necessary hardware (keypanels, display and other stuff).
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You've been able to do this for years and go into the service tools to re-code functions that at first wouldn't work with those head units in all VAG group cars. :rolleyes: They didn't change the CAN BUS system. They changed the head unit.
 
Benjamin Frost said:
I don't want a touchscreen in my car. Physical buttons and dials are better, because you don't need to look at them whilst driving.

As such, I'm afraid that CarPlay doesn't tickle my fancy. There are quite enough touch screens in the world without another one glaring at me in the car. It's also a good reason for not wanting an Apple Watch with its tiny screen glaring at you.

I hope I have made my disdain for too many touchscreens clear.
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CarPlay doesn't require touch screens to work. You can check out MB's implementation on YouTube.
 
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Benjamin Frost said:
I don't want a touchscreen in my car. Physical buttons and dials are better, because you don't need to look at them whilst driving.

As such, I'm afraid that CarPlay doesn't tickle my fancy. There are quite enough touch screens in the world without another one glaring at me in the car. It's also a good reason for not wanting an Apple Watch with its tiny screen glaring at you.

I hope I have made my disdain for too many touchscreens clear.
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Mazda disables the touchscreen while driving in favor of their knob controls, right in front of the armrest in the central console, a much better experience imo and a lot safer too! Steering controls are also a decent alternative.
 

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velocityg4 said:
$200 per year is really steep for such simple wireless features. It's all really low data usage and most features would only rarely be used if ever. $15 per year sounds more appropriate.

As for Carplay it sounds neat. But will you have to replace your car stereo every three or four years to maintain compatibility? The car theft and crash detection/locating would be nothing more than a megabyte of data if that. As for diagnostics wouldn't that just be displaying the codes already in the cars computer without using a code reader?

The only one that might be of some value is parking information. If you live in a big city and all parking lots and parking meters are tied in.
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I think that price is a great illustration on how car makers overprice features to the point of absurdity.
 
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Benjamin Frost said:
I don't want a touchscreen in my car. Physical buttons and dials are better, because you don't need to look at them whilst driving.

As such, I'm afraid that CarPlay doesn't tickle my fancy. There are quite enough touch screens in the world without another one glaring at me in the car. It's also a good reason for not wanting an Apple Watch with its tiny screen glaring at you.

I hope I have made my disdain for too many touchscreens clear.
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There's a lot to be said for tactile feedback....I miss it.
 
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Lucky736 said:
You've been able to do this for years and go into the service tools to re-code functions that at first wouldn't work with those head units in all VAG group cars. :rolleyes: They didn't change the CAN BUS system. They changed the head unit.
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Surely you can do that. The big question is, how the newer MIB2 software interprets the CAN Messages from ECUs of an older platform. I'll promise you, that many things won't work as expected. You could however solve these things with a CAN translator.
 
Now bring it to Porsche (2014 Cayenne in my case) and I am happy!.
It is ridiculous, that those luxurious car brands get such cool updates last (maybe except of Ferrari, coz' they are in bed with Eddy anyways).

I feel fck...ng discriminated :).
 
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I was excited and happy about the carplay radios. Then I kept reading "comes with VW net apps".. car unlock, car tracking, remote access. So basically car becomes hackable.

What is with everyone and their value-add BS. No one wants value-add anything. On PC's it's called crapware, on android it's called bloatware. On cars it's called hackware.
 
Benjamin Frost said:
I don't want a touchscreen in my car. Physical buttons and dials are better, because you don't need to look at them whilst driving.

As such, I'm afraid that CarPlay doesn't tickle my fancy. There are quite enough touch screens in the world without another one glaring at me in the car. It's also a good reason for not wanting an Apple Watch with its tiny screen glaring at you.

I hope I have made my disdain for too many touchscreens clear.
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The whole point of CarPlay is to not touch anything other than the steering wheel and gear lever. Speak to Siri and tell her what you want. No looking down or fumbling with buttons.
 
joneill55 said:
That'll have to be 2019 model as TDI will not come for at least 2 MY according to VW. Crazy I know but guess what......not new for VWNA.
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Thats fine. My student loans might be paid back by then, so I might be able to afford it.
 
aloshka said:
I was excited and happy about the carplay radios. Then I kept reading "comes with VW net apps".. car unlock, car tracking, remote access. So basically car becomes hackable.

What is with everyone and their value-add BS. No one wants value-add anything. On PC's it's called crapware, on android it's called bloatware. On cars it's called hackware.
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I agree it should be optional, but I wasnon the fence between VW and Honda, but now i'm leaning more towards VW because of those added features. If innovation stopped everytime security was a concern we would still be ridding horses around. Cars were invented and so were seatbelts and airbags.

Companies should always have Security in mind when creating new products.. Some protections are better than other but at this point the customer has to do research on his side too.
 
1. Physical controls on the dash beat out slow, unresponsive touchscreens anyday
2. Is it really good timing to release a smart car after Chrysler's massive recall?
3. Don't want a VW
 
velocityg4 said:
$200 per year is really steep for such simple wireless features. It's all really low data usage and most features would only rarely be used if ever. $15 per year sounds more appropriate.

As for Carplay it sounds neat. But will you have to replace your car stereo every three or four years to maintain compatibility? The car theft and crash detection/locating would be nothing more than a megabyte of data if that. As for diagnostics wouldn't that just be displaying the codes already in the cars computer without using a code reader?

The only one that might be of some value is parking information. If you live in a big city and all parking lots and parking meters are tied in.
Click to expand...
You should see mbrace pricing. Makes this look like a bargain...
 
Benjamin Frost said:
I don't want a touchscreen in my car. Physical buttons and dials are better, because you don't need to look at them whilst driving.

As such, I'm afraid that CarPlay doesn't tickle my fancy. There are quite enough touch screens in the world without another one glaring at me in the car. It's also a good reason for not wanting an Apple Watch with its tiny screen glaring at you.

I hope I have made my disdain for too many touchscreens clear.
Click to expand...
Like anyting else there is a happy medium somewhere. I like buttons too, but a touch screen done right could compliment them.
 
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