CarPlay Devices

[Willsmotorcycle]

I see quite a few of you out there putting in CarPlay and that other OS. I was looking to add cameras and have a bigger screen with more info available. Curious about all experiences. Does the CarPlay let you add any app you want? I have a TPMS that I would like there, or I by the kit that includes it... current model I'm considering.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CLGPGHW2?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_5E19KNJ4K8BBPW8RPAS8

 

[klaproth]

I'm kinda curious about this too. Apple Carplay came in my 2022 F150, and I had no idea how much I'd like it. I'd like to have it in my older Acura, as well as on the bikes.

 

[Obo]

Check out Spedal. They seem to have a unit that does all that (apple carplay, android auto, camera, temp & tpms)

Spedal x Navicam

High-definition images in Spedal! Smartify Your Drive , Revitalize New Life！

spedal-store.com

 

[SMSW]

It is my understanding that the Apple Carplay is simply a repeater for your iphone. I really don't know much about this but last week at a club breakfast one of the guys was talking about his. He said that as long as your phone was within range, the carplay was a duplicate screen and you had all the functions of your phone. As I understood him, the phone is doing the heavy lifting - the Carplay is an interactive screen that communicates w/ the phone. I have no idea about the camera - presumably one would not want a picture of the inside of your pocket.

 

[Willsmotorcycle]

Check out Spedal. They seem to have a unit that does all that (apple carplay, android auto, camera, temp & tpms)

Spedal x Navicam

High-definition images in Spedal! Smartify Your Drive , Revitalize New Life！

spedal-store.com

I had this on the short list and when I went back it was unavailable. It's available now, thanks for this. Still looking for some real world feedback before I plunge.

 

[Nashcat]

I’m using a CarPlay device on Teddy’s ride, but it doesn’t have cameras or TPMS. I got used to having CarPlay on my 2018 Wing.

John

 

[Sidekick]

I got one of these interface and It worked ok.
I returned it after three weeks because of the underpowered internal CPU and the slow and sluggish navigation.
A thing to consider is the level of complication that a device like that could brings to your everyday ride.
Bluetooth, WIFI, radio (for the TPMS), that's a lot of connection to check and it could be frustrating.
I wouldn't describe the learning curve especially difficult, but beside the software bugs, and the various hardwares incompatibilities, I feel better without.
My 2 cents.

 

[tpasco1995]

It is my understanding that the Apple Carplay is simply a repeater for your iphone. I really don't know much about this but last week at a club breakfast one of the guys was talking about his. He said that as long as your phone was within range, the carplay was a duplicate screen and you had all the functions of your phone. As I understood him, the phone is doing the heavy lifting - the Carplay is an interactive screen that communicates w/ the phone. I have no idea about the camera - presumably one would not want a picture of the inside of your pocket.

Really quickly on this, I have a CarPlay unit on my bike after having fallen absolutely in love with it in a rental car back in 2020 and deciding my next car (the one I own now) would have CarPlay.

It doesn't mirror your phone. It brings some functionality of your phone forward to an interface that's very similar, and locks down some use cases while in motion.

There's no web browsing on it. You can text and read texts (as well as some other messaging apps) while stopped, but while moving it will only allow you to listen to them read to you and convert your speech to text as a reply.

Music and podcast playback work wonderfully, regardless of the app, but again, no keyboard control while in motion.

No video playback.

Most importantly is navigation. Regardless of what nav app you use on your phone (Google, Waze, Apple Maps, Bing) it's available on your CarPlay unit, bouncing off your phone. Can't use a keyboard while in motion, but you can voice search for destinations and both hear and see the directions.

You can't really "add" apps to CarPlay. If an app on your phone is compatible, it will work with CarPlay and show up there automatically.

What I love about it is that my phone stays in my pocket or charging in the top box, away from the elements, and I can still use the basic functionality. I can take or make a call without any issue at all, which is nice. I can see notifications come in, even if I can't do anything with them, which might be enough to tell me I should pull off. I'm not being distracted by them.

 

[Sadlsor]

I had this on the short list and when I went back it was unavailable. It's available now, thanks for this. Still looking for some real world feedback before I plunge.

FWIW, there is a long-ish thread, or more than a couple, about CarPlay and who's using what on ADVrider.
Can't point you to a specific one now, as I'm jailed until Friday.
Some people are just too damned sensitive.
Um, ... I mean, not HERE, of course, but in some other places.

 

[Obo]

My new Wing has this built in, less the camera function. If it ends up working well then the ST may get some type of head unit for similar functionality.

 

[SMSW]

What I love about it is that my phone stays in my pocket or charging in the top box, away from the elements, and I can still use the basic functionality. I can take or make a call without any issue at all, which is nice. I can see notifications come in, even if I can't do anything with them, which might be enough to tell me I should pull off. I'm not being distracted by them.

When you say 'basic functionality' of your phone, you mean via voice commands...like Hey, "Siri, call Juan Doe, mobil." Or, "hey Siri, text my wife I'll pick up barbecue for dinner". Is that correct? From what you said keyboard and touch are gone once you are in motion? I was only half listening to the guy talking about his Carplay until he mentioned downloading maps to your phone and having them show up on the carplay.

 

[tpasco1995]

When you say 'basic functionality' of your phone, you mean via voice commands...like Hey, "Siri, call Juan Doe, mobil." Or, "hey Siri, text my wife I'll pick up barbecue for dinner". Is that correct? From what you said keyboard and touch are gone once you are in motion? I was only half listening to the guy talking about his Carplay until he mentioned downloading maps to your phone and having them show up on the carplay.

Both of those yes. You can also see the texts when stopped. You can trigger Siri with a button press while in motion if it's not particularly good at listening on standby. You can also make calls in motion from the screen as long as they're in your recent calls or speed dial. (I think technically you can scroll through your entire contacts list too...)

The main point is that it's really easy to control everything without ever giving a keyboard so you're not looking away for long.

 

[Uncle Phil]

I had this on the short list and when I went back it was unavailable. It's available now, thanks for this. Still looking for some real world feedback before I plunge.

My question about the device is will it allow you to load routes like a 'regular' GPS and are there any limitations on that aspect of it.

 

[Obo]

My question about the device is will it allow you to load routes like a 'regular' GPS and are there any limitations on that aspect of it.

The way I look at these interfaces is if you want the ideal performance in a certain function, buy a dedicated device for that purpose.
Camera system for camera, GPS for directions, TPMS for tires, thermometer for temps and a comms hooked to your phone for voice / music.

If you really feel you need to read incoming texts while driving, then sure these carplay / android auto devices are handy and do offer a compact solution, but they certainly seem to be a huge distraction device on a vehicle that doesn't lend itself well to being distracted on. They may also sacrifice some functionality or simultaneous viewing that multiple function specific devices would accomplish better, albeit with a larger overall footprint.

 

[Sadlsor]

I'd hazard to guess the appeal for these devices is actually to reduce that very footprint of multiple devices, as well as to combine the functionality of those devices that can be combined.

Outside of GPSs and drones back in the day, I'm seldom an early adopter of most bike tech. It was just over a year ago that I finally splurged on a Bluetooth Sena, although we did ride with Chatterboxes and FRS radios 40 years ago.

 

[Uncle Phil]

The way I look at these interfaces is if you want the ideal performance in a certain function, buy a dedicated device for that purpose.
Camera system for camera, GPS for directions, TPMS for tires, thermometer for temps and a comms hooked to your phone for voice / music.

I reckon that's why I have the setup that I have.
Having dealt with technology for 1/2 a century, I found that an 'all in one unit' is lovely til it ain't.
When one of the 'important' functions fail, then you have to either pitch it or buy just that function in a separate device.
I didn't see the 'route' function on that one so either I missed it or it ain't there.
That is a function that is super critical for me - especially on really long trips.
I have the same issue with my 'new' car - it has GPS built in but there appears to be no way to load a somewhat complex route.
So on a long trip I end up using a standalone GPS.
It'd great for 'local' stuff but I usually don't need one for 'local' stuff ...

 

[Larry Fine]

Camera system for camera, GPS for directions, TPMS for tires, thermometer for temps and a comms hooked to your phone for voice / music.

That's me!

 

[Andrew Shadow]

My question about the device is will it allow you to load routes like a 'regular' GPS and are there any limitations on that aspect of it.

Except for the TPMS and the cameras, these devices do not have any applications native to them. They display the data from the apps that are running on the phone that they connect to. It doesn't have a stand-alone built-in navigation system of its own. It can only display the navigation data generated by the navigation app that is running on the phone that it connects to. If that navigation app allows you to load and use custom routes that is what will be displayed on this device's screen.

The operation of these devices is dependant upon a connection to a smart phone capable of running Android Auto or Apple Car Play. Unless you have upgraded to a smart phone Phil, none of these devices will be of much use to you save the TPMS and camera features.

 

[Willsmotorcycle]

My question about the device is will it allow you to load routes like a 'regular' GPS and are there any limitations on that aspect of it.

Hey UP, yea, I'm looking for a dumber smart phone... really just a bigger screen with what I need on the bike. I find it difficult with some gloves to switch apps on the phone. I need limited apps, TPMS and would like a bigger screen and a camera system. A typical ride has my phone running TPMS, map, music, and some background stuff (Spotwalla, Garmin apps). The bigger screen and simpler interface, as the background apps won't appear in the CarPlay is really the goal. Adding a camera is on my short list, stand alone seems like unneeded kit if I can get multi functions from a single device. @Obo has it right, it won't do any one thing great, the Garmin does that and the screen size is nice, it spoils me. Boy that's a lot of words to say bigger screen and camera system.

 

[Uncle Phil]

Check with @sirepair - IIRC he has/had a larger tablet /phone? that worked for that.
But then my memory could be wrong!
BTW, I do have an Android smartphone only because my flip phone no longer worked on the networks.
But I only use it for a phone and that on rare occasion ..