Android Auto in car stereo - is it really so bad to use?

[Lurking]

I have a car with just OEM Bluetooth and the phone is suctioned to the windshield. That works fine and I use podcast app, music player and Google maps all the time. I'm kind of considering to upgrade the stereo to a double DIN unit with wireless android auto. This would avoid me to have to have the phone on the wind shield. 

 

At work we have cars with Android Auto (Chevy Bolt). So I tried it out there to see how much I like it. Setup worked wirelessly fine, no complaints. Also having the larger (9"or so) screen was nice. But the android Auto version of the apps are lacking. So I wonder if that can be improved or just an issue with the specific car. From researching I found Google maps is actually an app in the stereo. Is that true? It seems that limits me to whatever the stereo (or car) manufacturer offers, and future upgrades may not be good. Among other things the car Google maps app lacked these features:

- search for gas stations, and other points of interest

- my actual speed (it only shows the speed limit)

- didn't look like it warns me of speed traps, or obstacles on the road. But I didn't have enough driving time. 

- doesn't let me enter such obstacles or speed traps etc.

- has fewer routing options (like the new fuel efficency routes). 

- Looks like I will miss out on future Google maps improvements unless the radio manufacturer  allows them

 

For my music and podcast apps it lacked:

- easy interface to skip forward (I set the podcast app to skip forward 60s to skip commercials)

- can't select genres or other play lists to play

-  can't mark podcasts as played or force download

 

I usually don't make changes to my podcast or music app while driving. But on long drives with no traffic, I do. 

 

My understanding is, those apps actually come from my phone (unlike the Google maps) and the makers made a specific limited android Auto version.

 

While hooked up to the car, I also wasn't able to open those apps on my phone to make the adjustments the car screen lacked. 

 

An additional issue was that the screen of the car is more to the center and lower than I have my phone. So it takes my eyes more off the street than my phone. That also would be the problem in my car if I installed the new stereo. but this i can't blame on the apps/stereo. 

 

So I had great hope of how wireless Android Auto could make driving nicer. But I'm really disappointed after trying it. I spent some time to try out settings to improve the use. But as it is it will be harder to use (and more distracting) than my phone.  Can this be improved with better apps or settings? I saw some stereos allow Android mirroring, but this only seems to be work wired. and it also seems to have some limitations with some apps. 

 

I know someone who has installed such aftermarket stereo, but he always puts up his phone in addition. Probably for the above reasons. But IF I upgrade to a new stereo with Android Auto, I want to avoid to have the phone up. Is this just what it is, or am I just not seeing a solution to this? I have a Pixel 6 Pro, if that matters. but the system also should work with future phones. 

 

 

[ZetZet]

Yep, it's that shit. You can't even get your passenger to type in locations on Waze, because it doesn't let you while driving for "safety". It's "safer" than the cars built in stuff.  You would think Google would be focused on making car stuff good, since they don't walk in California. But maybe all Google employees just use Apple phones. 

[Motifator]

There are a lot of points I could touch in here, but first off, different cars have different approaches to infotainment. The Bolt is a rather more base EV, if you compare it directly to a Kona which btw it could be compared to - just in terms of infotainment, the Kona would edge it out on several areas. It has built in points of interest / charging spot detection, for instance.

Installing an aftermarket stereo can only be so good of a solution depending on which-car-case. Some vehicles obviously have better infotainment than others, making aftermarket solutions more unnecessary. With GM products, a good amount of them in the last decade, it would be beneficial to just rip the stereo out. A much higher end car? You might as well want to keep the car's own stereo unit.

We're talking about EVs in here and they're still at the very least, partly a luxury. Most of them come with decent / good infotainment on the mid end. Android Auto, as the name points out, relies on phone. If you want an in-car module, that can do everything by itself, you probably also want a premium vehicle.

[Lurking]

I don't think the Bolt had a Chevy navigation (like some EV have that use the battery information to plan the route around chargers). So what I saw, was the standard Google maps. I suspect multiple manufacturer use the same dumbed-down version of Google maps.

 

And the only reason I used the Bolt, is because that is what I have access to since we have it at my work place. And I doubt for modern cars you really can upgrade the stereo. first, you would have a smaller screen than the 9", second, the Media center also has the HVAC controls, the battery controls and other features. If you want better sound, you likely just add an amplifier, speakers etc. but the screen and controls themselves seem to be fixed in and integrated. 

 

From what I read, the Google maps app comes from the stereo/car. All the stereos I looked at, talked about the Google maps app included. I assume it gets data from my phone Google maps. The car screen enabled me to find my previously saved home address. that's very concerning since that app will be very outdated with the few or none at all upgrades you get from a car or stereo manufacturer. The other apps come from my phone (are also dumbed down versions of the apps). In my phone I also can select which apps show up on the car screen (under customize launcher settings). 

[Motifator]

13 minutes ago, Lurking said:

And the only reason I used the Bolt, is because that is what I have access to since we have it at my work place. And I doubt for modern cars you really can upgrade the stereo. first, you would have a smaller screen than the 9", second, the Media center also has the HVAC controls, the battery controls and other features. If you want better sound, you likely just add an amplifier, speakers etc. but the screen and controls themselves seem to be fixed in and integrated. 

Depends on what you consider "modern" truly. A 8T chassis A4, A5 etc is modern enough (I mean, up until 2016), and people do complete infotainment swaps to them. Most modern cars still have screens smaller than 9 inches. Over 9 inch screen is more of a premium grade feature.

[Lurking]

46 minutes ago, Motifator said:

Depends on what you consider "modern" truly. A 8T chassis A4, A5 etc is modern enough (I mean, up until 2016), and people do complete infotainment swaps to them. Most modern cars still have screens smaller than 9 inches. Over 9 inch screen is more of a premium grade feature.

By modern I mean a new car I would buy today. So a 2023 model for most manufacturers. I just googled and the Bolt has a 10.2" screen. And that is more an economy car (at least compared to all other EV). I don't know the resolution. But most stereos only have 7" or below at 800x480.

 

Even if it is a 2016 platform, the Bolt is actually quite modern outside the drivetrain. The one we have at work now are 2021 or 2022. We also have some older ones (when they still had stupid white interior and a traditional gear selector).