Android Auto first impressions thread (and ask us anything!)

[Cant Miss]

The resistive display is ... resistive. But there was no way I was going to be able to pay $1,400 for capacitive

This is a very nice resistive screen, and I dare say I prefer it to capacitive. I have always preferred resistive in the car. Why?

1.) In winter I drive with gloves on.

2.) While capacitive is nice when it is under your hand, most dash locations have the unit in front of your fingertips. This means that if you have any fingernails at all, you need to lower your wrists and raise your fingers so your nails don't get in the way. I actually like using the my top of my fingernail (works great for swiping) and avoids getting the screen all oily when you're eating french fries!

 

[Cant Miss]

Are them Ray-Bans polarized? Most LCD (and OLED, I've learned with the N6) are polarized and at a certain angle will turn black. It's easily fixed with a screen protector though.

No problems with my DriveWears, which are also polarized (and a big reason I never tried doing a custom Nexus 7 integration - couldn't see it in landscape).

 

[tsims10s]

We had a Pioneer AVH-4100NEX installed in our van just a few days ago. So far I'm pretty impressed! My wife's Moto X (2014) connected flawlessly. I was running a custom rom on my Nexus 6 so I ran into problems with Google Play Services and Android Auto would not run...so I restored to the stock rom, now it works perfectly. The only thing I want to ask Google for at this point is a way to shuffle a playlist, perhaps this can be done with a voice command but I don't know for sure.

 

[Dr Claw]

I will be getting an 8100NEX soon. Kenwood's DDX units only have one USB port in the rear, plus I think Pioneer has better iPod and Bluetooth control (AVRCP 1.4) than my existing head unit.

Anyone have any experience with using Hangouts for SMS through AA? I recently switched from the Samsung stock messages app in preparation for Android Auto (whenever the SM-G900V finally works with it, of course).

 

[C0deM0nkey]

We had a Pioneer AVH-4100NEX installed in our van just a few days ago. So far I'm pretty impressed! My wife's Moto X (2014) connected flawlessly. I was running a custom rom on my Nexus 6 so I ran into problems with Google Play Services and Android Auto would not run...so I restored to the stock rom, now it works perfectly. The only thing I want to ask Google for at this point is a way to shuffle a playlist, perhaps this can be done with a voice command but I don't know for sure.

How does your wife's Moto X Driving Mode interact with Android Auto (or does AA supersede it?)

 

[Insp_Gadget]

I will be getting an 8100NEX soon. Kenwood's DDX units only have one USB port in the rear, plus I think Pioneer has better iPod and Bluetooth control (AVRCP 1.4) than my existing head unit.

Anyone have any experience with using Hangouts for SMS through AA? I recently switched from the Samsung stock messages app in preparation for Android Auto (whenever the SM-G900V finally works with it, of course).

Hangouts works fine. Both instant messages and SMS (as long as you're not using Google Voice).

To send an instant message, say "Send a Hangouts message to John Smith." If John Smith has more than one email address on his contact entry, you'll be asked for which email address.

To send a text message, say "Send a text message to John Smith."

The only issue you'll run into is if you're a Google Voice user. Right now Google's voice search (Google Now voice commands) don't recognize Google Voice as an SMS service. So any voice commands that you attempt to use to send an SMS through Google Voice will not go through your Google Voice number. They'll only go through your carrier number. It doesn't matter if you're using Android Auto or Android Wear. It really has nothing to do with either one of those services/devices. The problem is with the voice commands themselves and how Google Now is directing them.

The issue has been reported to Google, and supposedly escalated to the appropriate team, but I don't know if they'll really do anything about it. (Especially given that Project Fi has entered the picture.)

https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!msg/websearch/QDn2l0eXLdg/etdn1Riry2gJ

 

[VincentVV]

Android Auto Supersedes everything. You cannot do anything else with your phone once it is enabled.

 

[Fleury14]

Hangouts works fine. Both instant messages and SMS (as long as you're not using Google Voice).

To send an instant message, say "Send a Hangouts message to John Smith." If John Smith has more than one email address on his contact entry, you'll be asked for which email address.

To send a text message, say "Send a text message to John Smith."

The only issue you'll run into is if you're a Google Voice user. Right now Google's voice search (Google Now voice commands) don't recognize Google Voice as an SMS service. So any voice commands that you attempt to use to send an SMS through Google Voice will not go through your Google Voice number. They'll only go through your carrier number. It doesn't matter if you're using Android Auto or Android Wear. It really has nothing to do with either one of those services/devices. The problem is with the voice commands themselves and how Google Now is directing them.

The issue has been reported to Google, and supposedly escalated to the appropriate team, but I don't know if they'll really do anything about it. (Especially given that Project Fi has entered the picture.)

https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!msg/websearch/QDn2l0eXLdg/etdn1Riry2gJ

I insp_Gadget & I have gone back and forth with this but that's not true for everyone. Google Voice / hangouts / AA works perfectly fine for me. It's a case by case basis.

 

[Insp_Gadget]

I insp_Gadget & I have gone back and forth with this but that's not true for everyone. Google Voice / hangouts / AA works perfectly fine for me. It's a case by case basis.

The issue is specific to Google Voice text (SMS) messaging (for anyone that isn't using Sprint/Google Voice integration), using voice commands to initiate an SMS message. It's not case by case. It's specific and repeatable.

 

[Fleury14]

I use t-mobile and it works like it should.

 

[Insp_Gadget]

I use t-mobile and it works like it should.

I sent you a PM, as I really don't want to hijack the thread with this issue, but I'm very curious as to what you're doing to get it to work.

 

[pretorben]

I have a Galaxy S5 with Lollipop through AT&T and had Best Buy install my Pioneer AVH-4100NEX. I updated the Pioneer firmware, set it up to look for Android Auto on USB2, Android Auto is set to start automatically, and I have the phone and Pioneer connected via Bluetooth. However, when I plug the micro-USB into the phone, all it does is start charging; nothing pops up saying the phone isn't compatible or anything else and I don't get the Android Auto ToS message. When I pull up the AV menu on the Pioneer, the USB2 icon isn't lit up. I've tried plugging the phone in with and without the Android Auto app installed. USB Debugging is enabled on the phone (I read that caused a problem for someone else) and I have the latest Google Play Services update installed. Is there any way I can fix this? Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[anon(9446079)]

Do you have the second USB cable installed as well? If yes, try the other one... this sounds to me that Best Buy plugged in the cable to wrong USB port.
For Android Auto it must be plugged in to the USB2 port.

 

[pretorben]

That was my first thought, but I checked and it's definitely plugged into the USB2 port.

 

[Tysonsaurus]

Make sure your using a good micro-usb cable also.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[pretorben]

Is Pioneer's kit good? Not thrilled with the idea of dropping $30 just for one cable, but if it works, it works.

 

[Cant Miss]

Is Pioneer's kit good? Not thrilled with the idea of dropping $30 just for one cable, but if it works, it works.

I am using a plain ol' Monoprice USB A to Micro with no problems. IIRC it was 3 or 4 dollars.

 

[pretorben]

I am using a plain ol' Monoprice USB A to Micro with no problems. IIRC it was 3 or 4 dollars.

I've tried multiple cables at this point, including Pioneer's, and nothing has worked. Starting to think the unit is broken.

 

[Cant Miss]

I've tried multiple cables at this point, including Pioneer's, and nothing has worked. Starting to think the unit is broken.

I just noticed you have an S5. I remember reading something about there being issues with this phone and AA. Is your phone stock?

Do you have access to another Lollipop device in which to test?

 

[pretorben]

I just noticed you have an S5. I remember reading something about there being issues with this phone and AA. Is your phone stock?

Do you have access to another Lollipop device in which to test?

The Galaxy S5 issues I'm aware of are for Verizon and Sprint, not AT&T. Unfortunately, this is the only Lollipop device I have.