Apple CarPlay can make your driving experience better and your journey smooth. Hence, many car manufacturers – Audi, Porsche, BMW, Maserati, Lexus, Jaguar and Bentley – set up Apple CarPlay by default in their vehicles. Its popularity has increased since it was first introduced in March 2014.
However, if you are a car owner who doesn’t have it installed because you have an old model, then also you need not to worry. In this article, we are going to discuss how you can install Apple CarPlay in your vehicle if it was not installed already.
How To Install Apple Carplay
If you are using an older version of the vehicle and want to install Apple CarPlay, then it is a simple process if you have an iPhone and the vehicle supports CarPlay. All you need to do is simply turn on your vehicle and make sure that the Siri application has been turned on too. Connect your vehicle with your iPhone and Siri will do the rest.
You will notice that there is a voice command button integrated on the steering wheel of your vehicle. However, if it is not available then you can simply tap and hold the application button on your screen. Furthermore, many new vehicles support wireless CarPlay while older vehicles will require a USB to get connected.
Connecting your iPhone into the device is as simple as plugging your smartphone for charging. However some people do notice that the USB cable comes in the way while you’re trying to drive. Thankfully, there is an aftermarket solution as manufacturers have created a wireless CarPlay solution for older cars as well.
There are three ways to get Apple CarPlay installed in the old models of vehicles.
#1 Install a new head unit
One of the best ways to make your old car compatible with Apple CarPlay is to simply replace the head unit. The new head unit will not only allow you to install Apple CarPlay but it will also allow you to add more features including multimedia systems and reversing cameras.
#2 OEM Retrofit Kits
Since Apple CarPlay’s popularity has been increasing, manufacturers have developed OEM retrofits to ensure that you get a better driving experience by getting Apple CarPlay installed. No matter what model your vehicle is, this OEM Retrofit Kits makes your overall experience much better.
#3 Bluetooth Connectivity
While there are many companies that provide you with OEM Retrofit and head unit replacement options, sometimes the model is so old that it doesn’t have enough space for the same. In this case, you can simply rely on Bluetooth connectivity as it will allow you to pick up calls, play music, and also get navigation commands through your speakers.
This way, you don’t have to buy a completely new car just for the sake of Apple CarPlay and you can enjoy the same experience with a couple of modifications.
How To Turn Off CarPlay
There are two different ways to turn off CarPlay. Settings and Restrictions – you can choose either of them as you like. Settings will allow you to disable your iPhone from a single vehicle while Restrictions will allow you to disconnect from any vehicle.
#1 Turn Off Using Settings
Simply use your iPhone and go to the settings application. You can do the same on the CarPlay’s display as well. Now you can scroll down and find the “General” option that will show you the “CarPlay” option.
Once you tap on the “CarPlay” option, it will show you all the vehicles that have been connected via your iPhone. You can easily tap on the vehicle’s name and hit the “forget this car” option. Depending on your phone, it might ask you to confirm one more time, simply click “forget” and you are done!
However keep in mind that whenever you click on forget it is going to forget only one vehicle at a time and if there are different vehicles connected then you need to do these steps all over again to disconnect and other vehicles.
#2 Turn Off Using Restrictions
To use the second method you need to once again open the settings application and scroll down to to a section that says screen time. Once you open the screen time menu you will see there is another option that says content and privacy restrictions.
After clicking on content and privacy restrictions you can select allow apps option. If you click once and the allowed apps option doesn’t show up then you can simply click on the toggle button that will show you the menu.
Now you can simply scroll down the allowed apps menu that will show you the CarPlay option. From here you can simply disable this option that will turn into gray color and once it has been disabled you won’t be able to connect your iPhone with any vehicle.
You can click on the same button again if you want to activate the car I play option and once again connect your iPhone to the system.
Benefits Of Using CarPlay
There are various benefits of using CarPlay including making calls, returning missed calls, listening to voicemails, reply to text by using voice commands and also play music or change the track. For all these tasks, you just need to use Siri.
#1 Helps You To Navigate
One of the most used features besides playing music is navigation. If you are someone who depends on GPS to reach different locations then this particular system is going to come very handy. It will not only show you the maps virtually on a bigger screen but it will also give you voice commands when required.
#2 Voice Commands
If you want to send a quick message to someone while you are driving you don’t have to stop your vehicle or take my eyes off the road as you can simply send voice commands using siri. This hands-free operation makes the system more popular. You can also make calls and Siri to read messages for you.
#3 Entertainment
You easily access your Apple Music subscription or even use other audio apps. You can search by genre, album, artist or music track. Aside from that you can also stream over 100,000 live radio stations. Siri is going to be your personal DJ, who will help you to play everything with ease.
In conclusion, CarPlay is one of the safest and smartest devices to use your iPhone while you are driving on the road. It allows you to use all the features with ease without any interruption.
It is highly recommended to upgrade your vehicle with a useful device like CarPlay. While the newer vehicle models come with a built-in version, you can easily use the above mentioned methods to install Apple CarPlay in your vehicle.