Updated my iPhone yesterday to iOS 12 software and now have Google Maps included in the Apple Car play application. Seems to work great. Here is what it looks like:

 

Yep, I did it too and got good results..... NOW, just waiting for WAZE to catch up and I'll be a happy camper

 

Does Google Maps interface with the heads up display like the factory navigation?

 

Nope. Don't think CarPlay can do that.

 

My understanding is that it just mimics the screen that is on your iPhone up on the larger display. I believe making a route, or setting a destination is done on the phone, not the "big screen". PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong.

 

You can select destination and routes from the CarPlay screen and the Voice recognition works as well (but not thru Siri without a shortcut). Also, you can select satellite view (very cool)

 

Both "HOME" and "WORK" that I had previously stored in my phone were right there on the infotainment screen so I could just quick select my destination. That was pretty cool.

 

Waze sucks, at least in terms of practical use and when compared to Google Maps (GM). What you get with Waze is that false sense of security that it's pointing out where the cops are, that is until you realize that if you measure about 60-80% of the time the cops not there anyway. If you like worrying more than you should then Waze is for you! Waze doesn't tell you which lane to be in for multi lane exits, you cannot set a stop while under route (it just changes the destination losing your original destination), route preview stinks and search results are presented not on the map. These things are important for the usage of the navigation app and GM has solved all of those. IMHO Waze is far behind.

My understanding from a developer is that GM is all set up to do that. It asks the car for it's capabilities and if the car says "Hey I can do turn by turn in the HUD" then GM will use that. The problem is the vette does not answer that query saying it can do it so it's not done. The problem lies in the firmware, not the app.

That's the 1/2 of it. At least on Android Auto (I'm not sure what CarPlay can or will do) If you're on your desktop and using GM on the web, you search for a place and that is all, when you go to your car there will be a "card" there with that destination. Perhaps that'll be in the recents for GM under CP?

If you have an upcoming event with an address I know that Android Auto will surface that as a card. Not sure how the iSystem handles that. Also not sure since these things come from the Google ecosystem and scan your Google calendar, etc. Since Apple's ecosystem isn't as knowledgeable about you (Apple people like that their information isn't out there - with that comes loss of functionality I guess) these things may not work in the iEcosystem.

Also you can send a multi stop route, or any number of routes to your phone from GM on the web. I find it much better to use my big screens to find and map out where I'm going. These routes sent to your phone will appear as notifications in the notification tray. While in the car tap them to set up the route, tap start, connect to your car and it should be in GM on the big screen. Now iPhones may behave differently and/or may not support such functionality but this is what I do every day with my AA and GM.

 

I am new to G M and really like how I can read where to go BIG and easily on the screen.

 

 

 

You must also update the Google Maps app.

 

Waze is much better at traffic problem alerts and rerouting than Google Maps is.

if you're looking for recents in Waze just press the upper left hand menu icon on the screen and you will find your most recent addresses as well as your most frequently used. Just scroll down to find the one you want.

Google Assistant, in both Waze and Maps, works infinitely better than trying to talk to the GM Nav app.

 

Yeah like car on the side of the road when the road is a 7 lane freeway and I'm at least 3 or 4 lanes away from the "problem". Is this why I need Waze interrupting my music or podcast?

Never said I was looking for recents so I'm at a loss as to why you bring this up. You neglected the amount of false positives, lack of exit lane guidance, crappy route preview and search results presentations and inability to set stops while in route. I said nothing about recents.

Agreed. The utter failure of the General Motors voice recognition system is comical if it wasn't so frustrating! Plus the flow of prompts and responds really sucks! I would be totally embarrassed if I were on the team responsible for such garbage.

 

I've been a Waze user for nearly 8 years now, and always found it far superior in allowing me to avoid the everyday gridlock of the DC metro area. However, since last week's new release of a Google Maps integrated version with CarPlay, I've been trying it out. Google Maps has definitely improved in traffic avoidance capability, I suspect because they purchased Waze, and no doubt have benefited from Waze intellectual capital.

Last week while commuting, I ran Waze on one of my iPhones, and Google Maps via CarPlay on the other, finding the recommended routes almost identical.

On another subject, it's silly to complain about being bothered by Waze alerts. Various categories of alerts can be instantly turned off in the Waze settings menu.

 

Yeah, I tried it out yesterday and really like it. The voice integration with Siri is better than the built-in one. Also my music sounds much better than with a Bluetooth connection. The only improvement that I would like is the ability to turn on the front hazard camera from the app w/o going back to home.

 

Agreed, the voice integration is far superior to GM, and I'm really digging Amazon Prime Music w/ the USB-connection to CarPlay. The fidelity is light-years better.

 

I personally don't see the point in using Google maps over Apple Maps. I just moved into a brand new house in a brand new community and Google Maps doesn't even know my house exists, but Apple Maps does. So Apple Maps is updating faster than Google Maps is.

 

^^^You're one of few. But use whatever works best for you. Seems most have better luck with Google Maps. Myself included.

 

It all depends upon when and where you do most of your driving. Apple Maps or any other nav app, including the OEM nav are essentially the same in areas or time periods with free-flowing traffic. However, if you're commuting to and from a major metro area plagued by daily traffic gridlock, Waze has been the preferred survival tool, with Google Maps a close 2nd.

Apple Maps is hands-down the worst in terms of traffic avoidance, perhaps because many fewer people are using it, which limits the volume of data they have access to, and/or their architecture doesn't accommodate or have access to quality real-time data.

Regarding quick updates for new roads, that's random. I built a new house and barn in a rural area 5 years ago, and Google Maps had it one year before Apple Maps did. Apple Maps satellite view still doesn't have it 5 years later, simply showing my property address as a 10-acre corn field, and Google Earth/Maps had a high-fidelity sat view 9 months after it was built.

There is a reason Apple built IOS 12 to allow integration into CarPlay. They were taking way too much crap from their customer base regarding the capability (or lack thereof) of Apple Maps.