If your local city or state has laws against using handheld devices in your vehicle, Apple CarPlay is incredibly handy at helping you keep your hands on the wheel. As more people are demanding that their cars keep them connected, more vehicle models are offering Apple CarPlay as a standard feature or optional add-on. But even with it’s growing popularity, chances are greater that most drivers don’t have Apple CarPlay (or the third party system called AutoPlay) installed in their car or truck. So you might have considered having it installed in your dash, but is it really worth it?
If you find yourself picking up your phone at every stoplight or railroad crossing, you might consider having this innovative tech installed. Apple CarPlay allows you to switch out of your factory-installed infotainment system with an iOS interface, so you can interact with your ifactory-installed infotainment systemPhone without even looking at it. It is designed in a way that ensures the driver is not giving the screen more than a quick glimpse to do a variety of tasks. It offers turn-by-turn navigation, allows you to control music on third-party apps like Spotify and Pandora, and will even read text messages and dictate a response for you.
The benefits of CarPlay and AutoPlay are that you have access to your primary apps either through voice command, your steering wheel, or a quick tap. The interface is very Apple user-friendly, with your most recently used apps appearing on the left side so that you can quickly switch between your apps with a simple touch. It also has an app icon on the home screen that allows you to easily return to your cars own infotainment system.
What is doesn’t do is give you access to a lot of apps that would otherwise be distracting or simply not a good idea to have on a screen in the driver’s view. For example, you get standard notifications, such as receiving a text message, but CarPlay will not show notifications for things like news alerts or that airline deal on Hopper. And when it notifies you of a text message, it won’t let you read it, Siri will instead read it for you. Some might consider this a limitation, but it’s a great safety feature that lets you stay connected without distracting you from the main task as hand: driving.
AutoPlay is a third-party program that has the same functionality as Apple CarPlay but is significantly less expensive to install. AutoPlay is also compatible with more vehicle models that have factory-installed navigation, something Apple CarPlay cannot guarantee. AutoPlay is a great, cost-effective option for adding the convenience and safety of Apple CarPlay in your car or truck. Contact MVI today for more information and a quote on an AutoPlay installation!
