[steveheath]

I've never used Android Auto but understand it will be available in my Stinger arriving soon
Has anyone any good/bad experiences with it or got some handy tips on what is especially useful?
I confess I've hardly read up on it yet but basically understand it to be a method of operating the phone's Apps via the car's touchscreen so maybe using Google Nav with its traffic info might be useful (does the car's own Nav have traffic info?). In fact, does the stock car's Nav have speed camera database like my previous Jag and other cars? If not I guess that could be a useful tool via Android Auto.
Can videos be fed to the car's screen or TV streams?

Any tips welcome

 

[suman]

I love Android Auto and wouldn't buy another car without it. I use Waze for my navigation although Google Maps is almost as good, I use YouTube music for my tunes (I have a YouTube premium subscription so pretty much every song is just a voice request away), although the old Google Play music was better in my opinion.

I can ask to be navigated to any address or point of interest, or play any song or send a message or call anyone just by tapping the voice button on the steering wheel.

 

[suman]

You don't get movies and TV via Android auto as part of its remit is not to distract the driver, but this is Google policy and not a technical limitation.

The only thing you don't get with Android auto navigation is the directions in the head up display, but I can forego them for the better route guidance you get with waze, even though the built in nav does have traffic alerts.

 

[nicq]

AA with waze is excellent. The standard maps are ok but waze is so up to date it makes all the difference. Even road works are reported very quickly.

 

[steveheath]

Thanks guys, I will look into Waze especially. Does it have speed camera locations? Not sure why I'm asking tbh as I have a Road Angel but my previous car had a built in camera alert so it was interesting to see how they compared. Very well as it turned out
The voice activated Nav concept sounds good too

 

[suman]

Waze has the best speed camera locations and even tells you about police on your route. It’s crowdsourced so users can report police, speed cameras, other hazards as they drive with a couple of taps.

 

[dunc69]

Another 👍 for Waze (I’m via Apple Car Play)

The camera and police warnings are extremely helpful, especially if you’re in an area you don’t know well!

Steve, the orange machine is two days out!! Excited??

 

[steveheath]

Another 👍 for Waze (I’m via Apple Car Play)

The camera and police warnings are extremely helpful, especially if you’re in an area you don’t know well!

Steve, the orange machine is two days out!! Excited??

I am. Oddly, more so than when waiting for much more expensive cars. I've always liked a bargain and these cars (especially with this deal) just represent such good value. I think when I know I'm not going to trouser too much money in terms of lifetime cost I enjoy something all the more.

 

[Strobe]

...In fact, does the stock car's Nav have speed camera database like my previous Jag and other cars? ...

To answer this and add another option to the mix, the inbuilt satnav does have speed camera database if you connect your phone via wifi. I think this uses the online TomTom database.

It is nicely integrated (you can report cameras using the touchscreen, and gives audio alerts) but probably not as extensive as crowdsourced apps like Waze.

The only issue is remembering to enable your phone's hotspot each time you drive. On iPhone I couldn't figure out a way to do this automatically, it may be possible to do so on Android. But for me I dislike the cartoon aesthetic of Waze and the hud projection is useful so is my preferred option.

Enjoy the car!

 

[Goatwidcoat]

To answer this and add another option to the mix, the inbuilt satnav does have speed camera database if you connect your phone via wifi. I think this uses the online TomTom database.

It is nicely integrated (you can report cameras using the touchscreen, and gives audio alerts) but probably not as extensive as crowdsourced apps like Waze.

The only issue is remembering to enable your phone's hotspot each time you drive. On iPhone I couldn't figure out a way to do this automatically, it may be possible to do so on Android. But for me I dislike the cartoon aesthetic of Waze and the hud projection is useful so is my preferred option.

Enjoy the car!

I agree the speed cameras in the inbuilt Tom Tom are incredibly accurate and give a nice audible warning and it zooms in when you coming up to it. So far it has had 100% accuracy everywhere I have been. Will not show temporary ones like with Waze though.

Also the caveat is you have to be connected to wifi through a hotspot but it works great. One trick I have found is that if you connect it to your home broadband router (assuming you get signal on your drive) it will connect to the wifi when you turn it on and I always let my car idle for 20-30 seconds before I drive off when cold and this gives it time to download all the local cameras before I drive off. When it disconnects as I leave it still remembers these local cameras during the drive until the car is turned off.

That said, I use Android Auto or Car Play with Waze or Maps most of the time but the Tom Tom is still really good.

 

[steveheath]

To answer this and add another option to the mix, the inbuilt satnav does have speed camera database if you connect your phone via wifi. I think this uses the online TomTom database.

It is nicely integrated (you can report cameras using the touchscreen, and gives audio alerts) but probably not as extensive as crowdsourced apps like Waze.

The only issue is remembering to enable your phone's hotspot each time you drive. On iPhone I couldn't figure out a way to do this automatically, it may be possible to do so on Android. But for me I dislike the cartoon aesthetic of Waze and the hud projection is useful so is my preferred option.

Enjoy the car!

That's interesting. The the car has wi-fi? But uses your phone's data connection? Does it have a SIM slot to enable it to run without logging onto a phone hotspot? My previous cat had that so I have a spare SIM. Was going to cancel that account but will wait until I have checked out the Stinger's facilities

 

[Banzibarn]

I use Android Auto every time. Google maps Nav and Spotify work really well (Have tried waze but prefer the Google maps interface, but appreciate Waze has better info - although Google own Waze so a lot of the waze info is ported to Gmaps).

The other good thing about AAuto is that it's updated regularly, unlike the built in maps. Its a no brainer really. I presume, in due course, built in maps will get dropped as it's not needed for most people.

You also have full access to the assistant either by the button on the steering wheel, or by saying "OK Google". This is useful for sending Whatsapps, or getting the answer to the children's random questions, or to turn on the porch light as I pull into the driveway!

The first thing I do when I get into the car is to connect the phone and ask the assistant what the traffic is like to my destination, and if anything adverse is reported, I stick the nav on, even when I know where I'm going. This is very useful and stops me getting stuck on my local A road with no exits.

 

[Goatwidcoat]

That's interesting. The the car has wi-fi? But uses your phone's data connection? Does it have a SIM slot to enable it to run without logging onto a phone hotspot? My previous cat had that so I have a spare SIM. Was going to cancel that account but will wait until I have checked out the Stinger's facilities

The car has wifi but no sim or ability to put a sim in it so has to rely on an external source to be able to connect and get the data. For example your phone running as a hotspot or if you have a mobile broadband dongle you can turn that on and connect the car to it.

Think of it like a laptop. It has wifi but cannot load the internet unless you connect to a router.

 

[Banzibarn]

I have an App which turns on my wifi hotspot as soon as my phone's Bluetooth connects to the car. I therefore have have wifi connectivity in the car all the time, which is useful for the kids if they want to watch youtube on their tables etc, and also allows the cars nav to update traffic (although I don't use Kia maps).

 

[Strobe]

I have an App which turns on my wifi hotspot as soon as my phone's Bluetooth connects to the car. I therefore have have wifi connectivity in the car all the time, which is useful for the kids if they want to watch youtube on their tables etc, and also allows the cars nav to update traffic (although I don't use Kia maps).

That could be really useful. What is the name of the app?

 

[steveheath]

I use Android Auto every time. Google maps Nav and Spotify work really well (Have tried waze but prefer the Google maps interface, but appreciate Waze has better info - although Google own Waze so a lot of the waze info is ported to Gmaps).

The other good thing about AAuto is that it's updated regularly, unlike the built in maps. Its a no brainer really. I presume, in due course, built in maps will get dropped as it's not needed for most people.

You also have full access to the assistant either by the button on the steering wheel, or by saying "OK Google". This is useful for sending Whatsapps, or getting the answer to the children's random questions, or to turn on the porch light as I pull into the driveway!

The first thing I do when I get into the car is to connect the phone and ask the assistant what the traffic is like to my destination, and if anything adverse is reported, I stick the nav on, even when I know where I'm going. This is very useful and stops me getting stuck on my local A road with no exits.

I need to get more tech savvy it seems. Thought I was reasonably up to speed until now. Lol

I have an App which turns on my wifi hotspot as soon as my phone's Bluetooth connects to the car. I therefore have have wifi connectivity in the car all the time, which is useful for the kids if they want to watch youtube on their tables etc, and also allows the cars nav to update traffic (although I don't use Kia maps).

Nice one. What's the App?

 

[Banzibarn]

Nice one. What's the App?

The app is called 'Hotspot Automatic'.

 

[steveheath]

Quick question: Is it right that AA only works via a USB wired connection? If so, having a flash drive with music on can't be done at the same time as connecting a phone with AA via the same USB socket I guess. The rear USB seems to be for power only and not data

 

[suman]

Quick question: Is it right that AA only works via a USB wired connection? If so, having a flash drive with music on can't be done at the same time as connecting a phone with AA via the same USB socket I guess. The rear USB seems to be for power only and not data

Yes that's right, it only works when wired in. I recommend a right angled USB cable to connect your phone and to put the music onto your phone instead of your USB stick and play the music via android auto.

 

[steveheath]

Yes that's right, it only works when wired in. I recommend a right angled USB cable to connect your phone and to put the music onto your phone instead of your USB stick and play the music via android auto.

I'd prefer to just keep the dedicated flash drive permanently in the car the way I have with previous cars but if I will try out AA. If I can't improve the way the car is working with the flash memory it may be the better option although something I did notice was that the phone gets really hot when sitting on the charging pad. I think that's a hot area anyway but I'm worried it's damage the phone. It doesn't get that hot when I use a wireless charging pad at home and that's a Fast Charging one