Several years ago, Apple debuted CarPlay, software first written for the car manufacturers, but quickly was carried into the aftermarket stereo market. AndroidAuto launched at approximately the same time. Most new cars sold from 2018 on have CarPlay and AndroidAuto, but there are many vehicles on the road that don’t. For most vehicles, that can be easily remedied.
These software platforms make it easy and safe to use your smartphone while driving. They are very similar in their look and operation. The user interface is instantly familiar to the phone user, and features hands-free calling, text messaging, GPS navigation, music playback and more. In most cases, CarPlay and AndroidAuto come up on screen as soon as the phone is plugged in to it’s charging cable, but some radios are wireless, meaning the phone does not need to be plugged in for CarPlay and AndroidAuto to work.
We can replace the factory radio in most vehicles and upgrade to a unit featuring CarPlay and AndroidAuto. There are a few cars on the road that simply cannot have an aftermarket stereo installed, but in most cases it can be done in a few hours utilizing appropriate installation kits and interfaces. You can expect to pay about $1,000 for a new technology radio, installed. One of the more common options done at the time of installation is to add a safety reverse camera. All of the radios have this capability.
Now, everyone can experience the ease of use and fun of having current technology in their dashboard.
