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Comment by eisa01 | Hacker News Reader

I find Carplay dangerous for my use case: As the interface follows what’s happening on the phone, you often lose the maps and directions as the guy controlling CarPlay need to check his messages

I have no idea how they’ve managed to design it like this, it’s like they only think single driver commuters would use it

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In iOS 13 they're conceding that this isn't how it's always used - a passenger might hook their phone to CarPlay, or the driver might hand their phone off for someone else to use.

That's releasing early next month. Probably a gold master build at the event on 9/10, with wide release following after that.

Good, that's one of my biggest pet peeves for CarPlay.

I'm also not a fan of Siri, would love to keep it disabled as I normally do, but CarPlay doesn't even start without it :/

I never thought that anyone other than the driver would want to connect their phone to the head unit in the car, regardless of how many other people might or might not also be in the car.

On further reflection, I think it's still overall not a good idea. If the driver wants to change the music being played, or the volume, or whatever, and there is a passenger in the car with them, then I would think it would be okay for the driver to have the passenger do that on their behalf. And that might affect the display.

But I guess I can wait to see if iOS 13 can change my mind.

Anecdote: I have only used CarPlay in rental cars, and every time I start driving while my wife connects her phone and gets directions and music going. It’s annoying that the map disappears when she checks her messages.

You are assuming that the driver's phone is the one connected. The typical use case is a couple, where either can drive. The first one to look up directions is the one who connects the phone. I do this all the time with my wife. Sometimes we have to disconnect one phone and connect the other so the passenger can continue using the phone without killing the map for the driver.

My kids usually manage the music, it's easy at the moment with an AUX lead so no real connection with the car. I can see as things are getting more connected this could have issues.

So glad right now that Apple took the bold step of removing the AUX plug. :)

I usually have someone driving me, but would strongly prefer to control the music. With Carplay, if I connect my phone in order to control the music I'll lose navigation if I use my phone for anything at all.

Best solution I've found so far was putting my Spotify account on my drivers phone, then I can change the music using my phone without messing up waze.

I use this all the time with my gf, I drive, she looks up a restaurant or something, opens maps to navigate to it and connects it to the car.

And after that she becomes annoyed she can't play Pokemon go or whatever game anymore :p

This is the most infuriating thing. Android Auto does it for some apps also, but it feels baked into the core experience of CarPlay. Given the choice between the two, this UX mishap alone makes me choose AA over CP even when I'm driving alone.

This behavior is changing with iOS 13.

It’s obvious why it’s designed that way: to reduce the distraction of using the phone while driving. If you have the dash showing one thing and you’re doing something else on the phone, you’re now potentially doubly distracted from operating the two ton lethal steel weapon you’re supposed to be paying attention to.

You may not agree with the design choice, but it’s completely obvious why they made it that way.

The case where then passenger needs to do something is rare enough when compared to the safety issues. In design you also need to weigh and make trade offs.

I agree, I can't believe that was overlooked. I used Carplay for the first time a few weeks ago and I was blown away that Apple allowed it to be released - it feels really unpolished and slow, and the experience changes depending on what head unit you're using, just like Android's unpredictability. It doesn't feel like an Apple product at all.

Classic Apple being run by old baby boomers move. Of course everybody in the world is commuting alone by car, why else would you use a car. We’d also all like more U2 forced onto our phones please.

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