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Comment by konschubert | Hacker News Reader

I would like a map that is up to date and has a good UX. Spotify and podcasts. Voice controls that allow me to hear and speak text messages.

Basic stuff, impossible for Volkswagen.

EDIT: I agree with the replies that say this should be handled by CarPlay/Android Auto. In which case I’d like my cars software to support that well.

EDIT2: Oh and there has to be an api where the car shares charge state and range estimates with my phone, such that my phone can plan a route around charge stops.

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This is better provided by your smartphone which already gives you access to your digital life and controlled with android auto.

I wouldn't want to have to setups accounts in my car. Also you don't necessarily want the persons who borrow your car to know everythings about you including every single place you have marked as favorite.

Me too, but I want none of this built into the car (not even if just as a "dumb" Android Auto screen) because this technology will look outdated and tacky in 5 years

I'd like a dumb screen that mirrors my phone, and my phone can take care of all of that. Android Auto is what I want.

Picking VW as an example for Infotainment is the equivalent of picking Tesla for reliability: a way to show how not to do it.

I can vouch that Dacia or Renault is not any better and serve as a pure gateway to Apple Carplay.

My Renault Megane e-Tech has an Android Automotive-based system[1], and it feels quite nice compared to the other cars in its segment that I tried.

The interface feels smooth as a tablet, and I don't think they've done too many weird customizations. Overall quite pleased.

[1]: https://9to5google.com/2021/09/06/android-automotive-renault...

I am quite happy with Peugeot and Jaguar. Never tried Car Play or Android Auto and never will so, Bluetooth streaming is all I need. I heard all kind of horror stories from the latest VW software so. Which is funny, because Skoda seems to be a lot better despite being the same group.

Current Audi is.. fine? But still Android Auto is better. It would be hard to beat because my car is not going to be as integrated.

VW don’t even support CarPlay though. I am stuck with an android POS that literally does nothing other than take up dashboard space, and a phone glued to the front of it. Can’t even listen to music as the tuner has never worked, and Bluetooth has a range of about 2cm. Dealer said it’s working as intended.

where do you live that VW doesn’t support car play or did they drop support? My last two vws going back to 2017 in the US support it and so have vws i’ve rented in Spain.

Portugal. 2018 Amarok.

Do you have the basic media unit that doesn't do anything or what? Otherwise you can just google the instructions to update and unlock your unit's features for free. Most MIB2(.5) units can easily be hacked.

It ain’t MIB2, or MIB - rather some ancient POS that runs android 6 and doesn’t even have a USB port. It’s just… Iberia, I guess. They know they can get away with getting rid of crap old stock here and people will accept it as the shiny new thing.

Oof thats definitely frustrating. Doesn’t make any sense to me it wouldn’t support car play.

Voice control is the entertainment! I only ever use it when I’m bored and to see how hilariously wrong it can be :D

It's not like TomTom or a phone with Google Maps on it can't scratch that itch.

TomTom doesn’t know the place I searched for earlier and my phone doesn’t know the battery state of my car. (Though the latter could Be fixed through an api)

> Basic stuff

Unlike Spotify, car radio does not need subscription nor account.

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