Car Infotainment Computer Systems

[SSC]

Car infotainment centers are becoming more like tablets and I don't see how much consumer choice exists with these systems. 

For example, let's just say google maps has been installed as the default navigation system. We should be able to change to a different navigation system if we want to. 

Does anyone know of any project or group that is seeking to address this? 

[Electronics Wizardy]

Well a good amount of cars just let you change out the whole radio, Ive done that few times to put carplay in some cars that were fairly new too(2013 and 2017)

 

But the systems dont' really get upgraded, so your choice normally comes with buy the car with the infotainment systems you want, as most market segments of cars have many models that are fairly simmilar.

 

 

[SSC]

2 minutes ago, DriftMan said:

Mirroring display is a thing, you know?

Sure that may be a solution, but I don't know how to do that in a car. 

[SSC]

2 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Well a good amount of cars just let you change out the whole radio, Ive done that few times to put carplay in some cars that were fairly new too(2013 and 2017)

 

But the systems dont' really get upgraded, so your choice normally comes with buy the car with the infotainment systems you want, as most market segments of cars have many models that are fairly simmilar.

 

 

Yes, older cars allow that, but newer cars have systems that seem more integrated in them than older systems. You see this more in luxury cars and entry luxury cars, but I don't know if this trend will make it's way down to cheaper cars. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Levent]

13 minutes ago, SSC said:

Yes, older cars allow that, but newer cars have systems that seem more integrated in them than older systems. You see this more in luxury cars and entry luxury cars, but I don't know if this trend will make it's way down to cheaper cars. 

Android Auto and Apple Carplay is down to cheapest cars you can get, infact my sister just got a brand new kia this last summer and it has one despite being the cheapest car they offer for sale. I am not sure what you are trying to say here. I have 2013 VW that has a radio and I can just swap that unit out for a factory looking headunit with Android Auto and Carplay (or even get a OEM unit that has it) even though factory headunit is connected to the CAN.

[trag1c]

6 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Well a good amount of cars just let you change out the whole radio, Ive done that few times to put carplay in some cars that were fairly new too(2013 and 2017)

You have to be careful with changing the deck in modern vehicles as they're becoming tightly integrated with the rest of the vehicle. Even going as far throwing codes when they're removed. Turn signals (at least the auditory component) are also being routed through your radio since vehicles no longer contain a mechanical flasher relay that you can hear. Climate control also being a system on a lot of cars that is moving to the deck. 

 

Essentially on any vehicle that has OEM deck that is an uptier (though some base models are also a more integrated system as well) you cannot remove it without causing a myriad of other issues. The way to go nowadays is through an audio-processor that takes your speaker level outputs from your deck and brings them back to line level to send to your amps. So you keep your stock radio but can now have amps, audio processing (timing, level etc.), and higher output tweeters/woofers/subs.

 

As far as OP goes.

 

Car infotainment systems are pretty locked down with the only degree of flexibility coming with android auto (apple car play might be the same but I have never used it) where you can install compatible android auto apps. For example I think there's a few choices now for navigation apps that work with android auto. So you're no longer reliant on google maps for navigation. 

 

This next one is entirely dependent on make, model, trim, VIN and year of your vehicle but there are some hacked firmwares for infotainment systems. One of my previous cars was a 2014 Mazda 3 GT (Canadian spec) that I had uploaded a hacked firmware on so that I could get android auto onto it because Mazda never included it for whatever reason (I don't think they got it till 2020 MY). I also configured it to remove any warning messages like "don't use this while driving". But that is something that is specific to each vehicle and each deck since they're all different.  Mazda might have one but Toyota or GM might not, it all depends on what you can find.

[NineEyeRon]

My 2017 car has a pitiful manufacturers Nav system. My parents 2019 car has an amazing Apple CarPlay system. Two years made a huge difference!

[SSC]

5 hours ago, trag1c said:

Car infotainment systems are pretty locked down with the only degree of flexibility coming with android auto (apple car play might be the same but I have never used it) where you can install compatible android auto apps. For example I think there's a few choices now for navigation apps that work with android auto. So you're no longer reliant on google maps for navigation. 

 

This next one is entirely dependent on make, model, trim, VIN and year of your vehicle but there are some hacked firmwares for infotainment systems. One of my previous cars was a 2014 Mazda 3 GT (Canadian spec) that I had uploaded a hacked firmware on so that I could get android auto onto it because Mazda never included it for whatever reason (I don't think they got it till 2020 MY). I also configured it to remove any warning messages like "don't use this while driving". But that is something that is specific to each vehicle and each deck since they're all different.  Mazda might have one but Toyota or GM might not, it all depends on what you can find.

Yeah. This is concerning me. I personally want to stop using as much big tech as I can, but car infotainment systems may actually thwart my efforts. 

[MadAnt250]

5 hours ago, SSC said:

Yeah. This is concerning me. I personally want to stop using as much big tech as I can, but car infotainment systems may actually thwart my efforts. 

Buy a car without it, I did. You know when these new infotainment systems break it will be too expensive to fix. 

 

Also, looking at a screen in a moving vehicle makes me feel sick (even the new clusters that are just on screen).