Old guy here, school me; why do I need Android Auto and what apps can't I live without once I use them?

 

android auto is just a replacement for factory nav. it uses google maps for navigation and projects it onto the head unit via USB cable.

 

Waze could be useful. If you are happy with your OE Nav, then maybe not so much.

Although, Waze does warn you about construction, vehicles on the side of the road, and Law Enforcement before I get to them. It also lets me know when I exceed the speed limit by 6mph. You can set it to warn you earlier, but I like living on the edge.

Pandora is nicely integrated as well. That is if you like music.

 

OEM Nav doesn't compare to google maps that I use on my phone. Love to listen to music. Have about 2300 songs from the 60's - 70-s and some 80's on a USB stick plus SiriusXM. Never used Waze, Is it better than Google Maps?

 

AA isn't just a replacement for the factory nav - it also handles the functions of making telephone calls and sending and responding to texts - hands free! Plus there's a boatload of media apps that if you have present on your phone (and actively use them) have an interface with AA such that you can go into say Audible, BeyondPod, Pandora, TuneIn, Stitcher, etc. (of which only Pandora exists in the factory infotainment system) to listen to media. See https://www.android.com/auto/ for more info.

And while lots of people like Waze (I personally don't because they're more false positives than real reports giving you a false sense of security - as well as other issues with Waze), Google Maps is just miles ahead of the factory nav. The real killer is in the integration of GM from the Google Ecosystem to AA. That and the far superior voice recognition. For example, if you have a event in your Google Calendar and it has an address (and is happening soon) when you get in your car and start up AA they'll be a card there with the even. Simply tap it and GM will appear in your main infotainment screen courtesy of AA. Need to stop at an ATM or get gas - say "OK Google, gas/atm" and a search will be performed showing you nearby gas/atm. Tap it and GM will add it as a stop.

Google Assistant integration is wonderful. Simply tap the mic icon or hold the steering wheel talk button (long hold) and say "What's my next appointment?" or "What's the weather today?" or "Set the thermostat to 70 degrees" (provided you have a Nest thermostat <- I recently got one with my new apt) or even "Note to self - check out this new club called The Funhouse" (which will send an email to your gmail account) or "add bananas to my shopping list" (courtesy of Google Home). All of these work and perform very useful features, in your car, by voice recognition that you really don't have to repeat over and over again trying different things for the voice recognition to figure out like in the factory version of voice recognition.

BTW, nobody can tell you what apps you can't live without unless they know you no the apps you like or subscriptions you subscribe to but I hope the above enlightened you to the possibility of using AA.

 

In a word - no it isn't. It has some nice features but mostly people like the feeling that they are being alerted as to cops nearby. But by my own measurements I have had a 60 - 80% false positive rate of Waze saying "Police reported ahead" when there's is no police there.

Here's a trick - going on a long ride. Would like to be alerts about things like cops but prefer GM to Waze? Start your trip on Waze. Set it to report alerts only. Exit Waze navigation and go into GM navigation. There, now you have GM navigation but even though you exited Waze, it's still running as a service in the background and you will get audible alerts from Waze while running GM for the UI.

 

You young ones have it made. You grew up with this great new technology, and know how to use every bit of the stuff. I was doing well while I had neighbors with a 12 year old that could help me with the intricacies. But the neighbors moved, and took the kid with them. How rude. Now I'm just floundering without any young ones around to ask for help.

 

You may be older than me but I am by no means young. Understanding and using technology is not a function of age - it's a function of desire. I know a few old people who do wonders with technology. But I know far more old people who say they can't be bothered, pine for the old days and convince themselves that the problem is that they are old so they don't even try. They're not expected to be good with tech so they strive to meet that expectation.

also know young people who don't know jack about their devices/computers or whatever. Sorry but iPeople seem especially clueless and that's probably because Apple hides all the computer details to make it "easy" for people. The difference between the two groups is that one group may desperately want to accomplish some thing and they then spend the required time and effort to learn the bit of technology necessary to achieve that thing. (think of a musician who's not into computers but needs to master that computer mixing program...) IOW again, it's about desire (and, of course, effort and dedication), not age.

Me? - Computers are my business and my life (the other part of my life is music - guitars and the like... then again I add in sports cars like my C7). But even if computers wasn't my main way of making a living, I would still be into technology. I work with computer professionals all the time and yet many of them do not seem to have the burning desire to understand them. That's right, I know pros who only want to master their little piece in order to do their current job and do not strive to update their talents and learn new tech. And many are younger than me. I've always had a curiosity about computers, OSes, computer languages, configuration, etc. I started as just a COBOL programs - yeah I learned on punched cards and IBM 360... But I was always digging into the systems trying to understand, hacking in and learning how things operate. It is a trait and a skill along with a desire to do what it takes to understand, just like playing guitar well is a trait, skill and certainly a strong desire to pull you through all of the long hours of practice in order to hone your skills.

 

Waze - hands down. In the NY area, it's pretty accurate with LE warnings. Worth it just for that.

Rob

PS - Please check out my corvette blog at vetteblog.com and let me know what you think - I'd love honest feedback!

 

THANKS!!!!!! Great advice and will dig into see what I really can use/need.

T

 

 

You don't necessarily need a "high quality USB cord", you simple need a data USB cord. You can tell if you have one because if you plug it into your PC and the phone and the PC asks to mount your phone's internal storage then you have a data cable. But cables do wear out and you'll notice it be having more and more trouble getting AA to connect. Then replace your USB cable with another, new, data cable.

 

If you are into Spotify, then Car Play -AA in your case- is a must. I have a 15 and without Car Play I have to plan around with my phone to change to pick a different play list or selection which is dangerous while driving. If you have AA, you just use the car's screen to make your changes as it has what your phone has on the screen.

 

No.... it's not just that.... it's a replacement for the music, also (i.e. use Pandora instead of XM or the radio). It also allows use to use voice commands to do a myriad of things.... I use mostly the Google apps. It works very well, love it.

 

I do a similar thing with AA and Pandora.... start AA and Pandora, get the music going, then exit to the factory GM Nav.... allows me to use the factory nav (when I want it, e.g. when I want the heads-up integration of the factory nav), and also use AA / Pandora concurrently.

 

I really, really wish GM would get off it's *** and offer an integration with alternate navigation systems like AA and CP so that the system would tell AA/CP that it has the ability to show turn by turn directions in the HUD. As I understand it from a developer, AA and Google Maps will indeed do turn by turn directions in the HUD if it knew that the system it's controlling has that capability. Supposedly when AA/GM starts up it asks the car for what capabilities it supports and if it said "Hey I can do turn by turn in the HUD" then AA/GM would use that. But it doesn't say it has that capability. Really sucks because it's so close...

 

I don't like it. I use waze on my smartphone(S9) and all works perfect for my needs.