Anyone want to explain Android Auto to me?

[WelshBloke]

Is there a fundamental difference to just having a car mount, Bluetooth to the car stereo and a decent car mode on the phone?

(battery is about to die so I may not respond for a bit, TIA)

 

[zerogear]

Not really, but I guess stuff displays on a larger display, so that could be helpful for some people.

 

[dagamer34]

Google makes it, so it's far more likely to get updates and 3rd party app support. And that is difference enough.

 

[WelshBloke]

Google makes it, so it's far more likely to get updates and 3rd party app support. And that is difference enough.

More 3rd party app support than an Android phone? How's that going to work then?

Not really, but I guess stuff displays on a larger display, so that could be helpful for some people.

You can get phones/phablets/tablets in just about any size.

 

[mikereidis]

"Android Auto" (AA) is Googles "Big Thing" for car electronics and is Google's version of Apple's CarPlay.

Android Auto has 2 main hardware components: A headunit in the car, and a phone (or tablet) running the AA companion app. You get in the car, plug your phone in by USB, the phone charges, and you get the AA screen on the HU.

This 2 device model is temporary, and Google's end goal is native Android in the car, with attached/synced phones becoming optional. We will likely hear more on Thursday and Friday at Google IO.

AA is a "special environment" that goes well beyond screen mirroring. It's designed to be non-distracting, but this requires apps to have special AA support, which limits the apps that work, especially at present.

There was a LOT of excitement about AA, but that dissipated quickly when people realized they have to spend at least $500-700 for a compatible headunit, like the Pioneer 4100-NEX, or buy a new car.

I've reverse engineered the Android Auto protocol, and have now released an Android Auto headunit app that runs on tablets, or whatever. Some might find it useful to explore Android Auto capabilities, without buying a new car or a $500+ Pioneer headunut.

 

[WelshBloke]

AA is a "special environment" that goes well beyond screen mirroring. It's designed to be non-distracting, but this requires apps to have special AA support, which limits the apps that work, especially at present.

Yeah, I don't get why they don't just run those apps on the touchscreen device that you already have to have to make the whole thing work. Requiring the head unit to have a large touchscreen in a non optimal position seems a bit superfluous.

 

[A5]

The other big thing is much better bluetooth integration.

Like in my Mazda, I can't hit the voice command button and dictate to my phone, but with AA you have all the "OK, Google" commands/searches available.

 

[trmiv]

The other big thing is much better bluetooth integration.

Like in my Mazda, I can't hit the voice command button and dictate to my phone, but with AA you have all the "OK, Google" commands/searches available.

That would be nice. I have to go through like 47 prompts to make a call via bluetooth in my Toyota Highlander. So annoying.

 

[WelshBloke]

The other big thing is much better bluetooth integration.

Like in my Mazda, I can't hit the voice command button and dictate to my phone, but with AA you have all the "OK, Google" commands/searches available.

Can't you just 'ok Google' to your phone anyway?

 

[poofyhairguy]

Yeah, I don't get why they don't just run those apps on the touchscreen device that you already have to have to make the whole thing work. Requiring the head unit to have a large touchscreen in a non optimal position seems a bit superfluous.

Auto makers need fancy stuff in their cars to seem modern. They are not software/computer companies, so Google is making a platform for them as a profit center.

I am sure that soon after Android Auto launches there will be a way to run something like it on a phone. Already a lot of clone apps.

 

[KentState]

Can't you just 'ok Google' to your phone anyway?

And how does that "experience" integrate into the car's stereo? The idea behind AA is to have a car specific experience through the cars stereo. All relevant notifications are displayed on the screen, HUD and can be interacted with through voice and steering wheel controls. Think of it as a docking station for your phone. It also standardizes the platform no matter how the manufacturer implements bluetooth. Also will solve the issues of managing a call, music, navigation and notifications at the same time.

 

[WelshBloke]

And how does that "experience" integrate into the car's stereo?

I'm not really sure what you mean by that. In that situation you really only need to use the cars speakers, what else are you wanting the car stereo to do there?

The idea behind AA is to have a car specific experience through the cars stereo. All relevant notifications are displayed on the screen, HUD and can be interacted with through voice and steering wheel controls. Think of it as a docking station for your phone. It also standardizes the platform no matter how the manufacturer implements bluetooth. Also will solve the issues of managing a call, music, navigation and notifications at the same time.

Just seems weird to spend a bunch on mirroring a load of functionality that's already there, and doing it in a worse way. (The AA screens seem particularly crappy and they are in a rubbish place for looking at whilst driving.)
Pretty much all that you wrote can be done over Bluetooth to your phone.

 

[KentState]

I'm not really sure what you mean by that. In that situation you really only need to use the cars speakers, what else are you wanting the car stereo to do there?




Just seems weird to spend a bunch on mirroring a load of functionality that's already there, and doing it in a worse way. (The AA screens seem particularly crappy and they are in a rubbish place for looking at whilst driving.)
Pretty much all that you wrote can be done over Bluetooth to your phone.

Maybe you are someone that would have to experience it to understand. Not really sure what to say as it makes sense to a lot of other people. Personally, I would rather leverage the larger screen, steering wheel controls and the cars microphone to control my phone while driving. Just like when I get to work I dock my laptop and use a full keyboard, mouse and multiple monitors.

 

[sm625]

Google wants a separate system for your car because they know people will gladly shell out 3-10 times as much for it vs a phone.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

I'm not really sure what you mean by that. In that situation you really only need to use the cars speakers, what else are you wanting the car stereo to do there?




Just seems weird to spend a bunch on mirroring a load of functionality that's already there, and doing it in a worse way. (The AA screens seem particularly crappy and they are in a rubbish place for looking at whilst driving.)
Pretty much all that you wrote can be done over Bluetooth to your phone.

What, every single Car Nav/Audio system sucks ass. Even the ones on expensive cars. They are slow, are completely different from model to model, are NEVER updated, requires you to sync to a new bluetooth device every single time, and voice control always suck.

With AA, you bypass the majority of all that.

 

[A5]

seems weird to spend a bunch on mirroring a load of functionality that's already there, and doing it in a worse way. (The AA screens seem particularly crappy and they are in a rubbish place for looking at whilst driving.)
Pretty much all that you wrote can be done over Bluetooth to your phone.

Given the rapid OEM uptake on AA and CarPlay, it seems unlikely that adding support costs significant money.

 

[WelshBloke]

What, every single Car Nav/Audio system sucks ass. Even the ones on expensive cars. They are slow, are completely different from model to model, are NEVER updated, requires you to sync to a new bluetooth device every single time, and voice control always suck.

With AA, you bypass the majority of all that.

My point would be, if you have a modern smartphone with a large screen (which you'd need to make AA work anyway) why would you be using (or need) the cars built in sat nav?

 

[WelshBloke]

Given the rapid OEM uptake on AA and CarPlay, it seems unlikely that adding support costs significant money.

They'll be giving those head units out for free?

 

[Raduque]

My point would be, if you have a modern smartphone with a large screen (which you'd need to make AA work anyway) why would you be using (or need) the cars built in sat nav?

What they're trying to tell you is that the car doesn't have a built in sat nav, it uses Google Maps through your phone.

Phones are very distracting while driving. Since I got my '13 F150 with Sync, I pretty much never touch my phone. It stays in my pocket where it belongs. If I get an email, I ignore it. A text can be read by Sync, and replied to using my Moto360. I can manipulate my watch and keep both hands on the wheel and my eyes on the road. Can't do that with a phone.

What Google is trying to do is move the Android interface from the highly distracting phone to a less distracting and more easily-manipulated interface - the one in your dash. However, it should only be for Navigation, calls and Music/Audio, and hopefully won't allow texting or emailing.

 

[WelshBloke]

What they're trying to tell you is that the car doesn't have a built in sat nav, it uses Google Maps through your phone.

So what's the point in an expensive AA head unit then?

Phones are very distracting while driving. Since I got my '13 F150 with Sync, I pretty much never touch my phone. It stays in my pocket where it belongs. If I get an email, I ignore it. A text can be read by Sync, and replied to using my Moto360. I can manipulate my watch and keep both hands on the wheel and my eyes on the road. Can't do that with a phone.

Which bit can't you do with just a phone?

What Google is trying to do is move the Android interface from the highly distracting phone to a less distracting and more easily-manipulated interface - the one in your dash. However, it should only be for Navigation, calls and Music/Audio, and hopefully won't allow texting or emailing.

So basically you're paying $600 or so for a car mode on your phone just with a crap display and without the ability to mount it somewhere you can see it?

 

[obidamnkenobi]

So basically you're paying $600 or so for a car mode on your phone just with a crap display and without the ability to mount it somewhere you can see it?

Don't forget you remove the ability to adjust music and other things with physical buttons. So now you'll have people fumbling with a touchscreen in the dash and texting on their phones, while swerving around I-95 at 75 mph. Progress!

 

[WelshBloke]

Don't forget you remove the ability to adjust music and other things with physical buttons. So now you'll have people fumbling with a touchscreen in the dash and texting on their phones, while swerving around I-95 at 75 mph. Progress!

There is that as well, but I felt that I was coming over as overly negative as it was.

Honestly I'm not trying to be difficult about this, I'm just not seeing the point of it at all.

 

[Raduque]

The real point of Android Auto is for Google to control the in-car infotainment experience instead of the vehicle manufacturer.

Which bit can't you do with just a phone?

The bit where I DON'T TAKE MY HANDS OFF THE WHEEL TO JAB AT MY PHONE SCREEN.

Instead with an AA headunit and the right mounting and adapting hardware, I can just press the Voice button on my wheel(might not even be needed - I bet AA headunits already always-listen for"OK Google") and say "OK Google, Navigate to X" and it will pull up Maps on the 7-8" in-dash display (much easier to see than my 5.7" phone screen) and start navigation, all without interrupting an in-progress call or music playback, and I could reply to texts using voice without taking my hands off the wheel to fumble my phone out of my center console and squint at the screen while trying to thumb up something.

The whole point is removing physical interaction with the phone while driving. That's the part that needs to go away permanently. The second gen of AA, where it all works wirelessly, is the more exciting. I think I'm going to skip AA for this gen, because I don't want to have to plug into USB every time I get in my truck.

 

[WelshBloke]

The bit where I DON'T TAKE MY HANDS OFF THE WHEEL TO JAB AT MY PHONE SCREEN.

Instead with an AA headunit and the right mounting and adapting hardware, I can just press the Voice button on my wheel(might not even be needed - I bet AA headunits already always-listen for"OK Google") and say "OK Google, Navigate to X" and it will pull up Maps on the 7-8" in-dash display (much easier to see than my 5.7" phone screen) and start navigation, all without interrupting an in-progress call or music playback, and I could reply to texts using voice without taking my hands off the wheel to fumble my phone out of my center console and squint at the screen while trying to thumb up something.

But that's exactly how using a smartphone in a dashboard mount works now.

 

[Raduque]

Dashboard mounts are ugly and possibly damage the vehicle. You still have the problem of a smaller, harder to read display.