How do You Use Your Pixel 2 to Communicate While Driving?

[PowrDroid]

Thought this would be a good topic to discuss.

Please tell us how you use your Pixel 2 to communicate while driving. Tell us your vehicle, the apps you use, whether on Bluetooth or not, texting and calling, etc. I'll start.

I have a 2015 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup with the 8.4 UConnect system. I connect to the vehicle's system using Bluetooth. The vehicle app controls my phone for calls and texts. It is voice activated.

I am signed up for UConnect Access which means I can send texts with voice commands and can send voice texts. I can also receive texts and have the vehicle read them to me over the vehicle's speakers. Before I signed up for UConnect Access I could have texts read to me over the speakers but I could only send about a dozen "canned" responses, like "yes, no, I'm almost there, I can't talk right now, I'll call you", etc.

For the most part, once I learned the system, it works pretty good. Bypassing the 'how to use' prompts greatly increased speed and efficiency of my responses.

I am interested in how others use their phones in their vehicles. Android Auto sounds intriguing. I'm wondering if I can use Android Auto to connect to my truck instead of using the vehicle's system.

On a related note, I can ask the UConnect system by voice commands to play mp3 songs on an installed USB stick or SD card (I use both in my truck) but I don't think I can use voice commands to play music from my phone over Bluetooth. I suspect Android Auto allows you do to this. Is that correct?

 

[klau25]

Yup, android auto works great on the phone. I use the native app on the phone since neither of our 2 cars have android auto built in.

 

[Mike Dee]

Android auto in my car for everything

 

[GSDer]

2011 Kia Forte 5 (hatchback). No Android Auto support but it does have Bluetooth and hands free support so I use that to make/receive phone calls (except when it can't figure out a contact, then I have to scroll through the Contacts tab in the Phone application to manually select someone to call). I don't text and drive and try not to read incoming messages unless I'm at a light.

I use a routing app (I drive locally part-time) to determine stop order, and that hands the actual navigation off to Google Maps. So I'm going to give Android Auto a whack but it'll have to support that 3rd party application or I'll have to ditch it.

I like to listen to podcasts while I drive but unfortunately Google Maps just lowers the volume of the podcast while providing spoken turn-by-turn directions - I'd prefer that it paused the podcast while doing that and resumed when the turn-by-turn was finished because I end up missing parts of the podcast.

 

[wrecklass]

2016 Ford Focus RS. Android auto via USB connector.

"Ok Google call home..."

"Ok Google message Kelly I'm on my way."

"Ok Google mute navigation"

 

[PowrDroid]

The people that are using the Android Auto app--does your vehicle have Bluetooth and/or a vehicle's app to control your phone and you are bypassing it? Or what?

 

[Mike Dee]

The people that are using the Android Auto app--does your vehicle have Bluetooth and/or a vehicle's app to control your phone and you are bypassing it? Or what?

I use mine with the Android Auto built into the car, however I could use just the app on the phone. Either ones uses Bluetooth. I generally use the integrated controls or voice to operate AA in the car. It's like having navigation built in.

 

[ClintRo]

I just use Google maps while connected to my car's BT. Also listen to podcast and music as well.

I don't text and drive (I do occasionally reply at stop lights) and use voice to make calls.

OK Google call Jessica...

 

[sixty_four]

The people that are using the Android Auto app--does your vehicle have Bluetooth and/or a vehicle's app to control your phone and you are bypassing it? Or what?

My car has BT and AA support. I'll use BT for short trips and AA for longer drives. Both work with the controls on the steering wheel.

 

[TraderGary]

I bought my Honda Prelude in 2001 and it still only has 90,000 miles on it. My Garmin GPS is on its last legs. I'd like to use Google Maps for navigation with my Pixel 2 XL. What do you guys recommend for a secure mounting device for my phone?

 

[DigbyTheDog]

I have a 2015 Kia Soul. It has Bluetooth which works great for phone calls but doesn't recognize text messages. (actually, I don't think I have determined that on my Pixel yet. My Samsung S4 mini worked but my LG G5 did not) Anyway, I use Android Auto on my phone. I like listening to local radio stations which I can't do if Android Auto is on through Bluetooth. So I turned off media and just have the phone connect through Bluetooth. That way I get phone calls through Bluetooth and everything else through my phone's speakers. I just have to remember to turn up the volume on my phone. I have Android Auto set up to turn on when it connects to the Bluetooth.

 

[ClintRo]

I bought my Honda Prelude in 2001 and it still only has 90,000 miles on it. My Garmin GPS is on its last legs. I'd like to use Google Maps for navigation with my Pixel 2 XL. What do you guys recommend for a secure mounting device for my phone?

I really like the iOttie products... The ez something or another. It is a great mount.

 

[TraderGary]

Which iOttie do you use or recommend?
I'm thinking maybe the Easy One Touch 4 Air Vent Mount.

 

[Almeuit]

Reminder - let's keep it on topic. Thanks.

 

[PowrDroid]

Anyway, I use Android Auto on my phone. I like listening to local radio stations which I can't do if Android Auto is on through Bluetooth.

I have Android Auto set up to turn on when it connects to the Bluetooth.

Well, now I'm confused. Are you saying you can have your phone automatically connect to your vehicle's Bluetooth for phone calls only and this action will automatically turn on Android Auto, but AA will not connect through Bluetooth?

 

[PowrDroid]

I'm particularly interested in people whose vehicle's have Bluetooth, have hands free support, but don't have Android Auto built into the vehicle.

This is my situation. DigbyTheDog seems to have this setup. I'm trying to figure out what permutations of Bluetooth/non-Bluetooth connections and the extent of voice control can be achieved.

In my case I would love to have the vehicle control everything except texts and navigation. I'd love to have the Android Auto app control texts and navigation and hear these over the vehicles speakers via Bluetooth. Is this possible?

 

[Mike Dee]

Well, now I'm confused. Are you saying you can have your phone automatically connect to your vehicle's Bluetooth for phone calls only and this action will automatically turn on Android Auto, but AA will not connect through Bluetooth?

If you go into the Bluetooth settings on your phone you can set it to connect for phone calls only.

 

[GSDer]

The people that are using the Android Auto app--does your vehicle have Bluetooth and/or a vehicle's app to control your phone and you are bypassing it?

My 2011 Kia Forte 5 has Bluetooth and I normally use the vehicle controls on the steering wheel to initiate, receive and disconnect from calls.
I tried the Android Auto application for a few days and while I really liked how it would read messages (TM and WhatsApp) and allow me to reply using my voice, unfortunately the trip routing application that I use doesn't support Android Auto so after every stop I have to switch manually to it in order to record my stop and start the next navigation. This just got to be a hassle so I uninstalled Android Auto. I'll contact the developer of the application to see if they have any plans to support Android Auto integration but I doubt it.

 

[bkrickles]

I have android auto built into my 2017 Honda Accord and it just works amazingly well for me.
I use it for everything hands free. Texting, calls, navigation, music streaming and even just like my google mini at home.
I can use google maps or waze and everything comes up on my second screen and all with just voice commands.
I love AA!