[dkaile]

DIY: Getting ANDROID AUTO Screen on my Skoda Superb 2012 / BMW R1250 GSA for under 10k - 11-05-2024

Now as I had mentioned on my Skoda Superb Thread (Skoda Superb - A tryst with destiny) - I was looking to upgrade my car with a Android Auto Screen WITHOUT compromising on the OE sound quality of my Bolero Stereo.

As I had mentioned -

So the problem remains as it is as I am still apprehensive to remove this beautifully sounding stereo. I am doubtful if I will get clear radio reception with the single connector (coming nowadays) that is attached to these twin antenna connectors by a Fakra adapter. So is it the best option for me to keep on using Android Auto on my phone, as I have been doing for nearly a decade now and listen to Spotify through bluetooth? Or is there some practical and high quality but low cost option available? For another day!!

In continuation with the above, I found a solution that could work as mentioned in the below video -

https://youtu.be/Rr3AESa-iwA?si=663AzpX8_az84FCT

I mainly followed instructions of the above video to get WIRELESS Android Auto for my car. But you can also have a look at these 3 video series by YouTuber Akshay Pai which helped me to set Pixel Density to 250, which I found perfect for my setup and also to Disable Audio Sink to make the sound output come directly through my car's stereo / my Samsung Buds on the bike -

https://youtu.be/cSKQVmmnKzk?si=Whg7yi-W0FPynIfF

(Please click on links in the above video to see Part 2 and Part 3 of this series, IF you need to)

Now my wife had recently upgraded to S23 FE in the recent Flipkart Sale, from her 4 year old Samsung A71. What a beautiful piece of art this is with all glass and aluminum finish. But now looks like a iPhone though -



MRP is mentioned as 79,999/- but we got it at 31k with zero EMI after SBI discount -



So after transferring the data and formatting the phone, this A71 (on the left) was now lying free with us, at literally zero cost, for this upgrade -



Now since I did NOT have a spare Android Tablet lying around, I went ahead and purchased the most basic WiFi one - Samsung Tab A9 (8.7" screen) for Rs. 8431/- (MRP 14,999/-) on zero EMI from the Amazon Sale that was also running concurrently -



My wife immediately took to Media Consumption on it and it can be quite good at that, when not in use in the car, as the entire setup is plug and play in a jiffy -



Putting it next to the stock Superb Stereo -



And a virtual size comparison of this 9 incher vs the 6.5" on the stock -



Next important thing needed was a high quality and sturdy Car Mount. I went with this one from Amazon for Rs. 1360/- -



Front view. Can accommodate devices from 4" to 11" -



The A9 mounted on it -



A side view of the mounting structure -



A close-up of the same -



A lateral view. Absolutely firm and secure -



And now a important Perspective View from the Driver's viewing angle. There is ZERO vision hampering while driving, with this device in place, for the driver -



After doing the basic setup as per the above video/s, I just need to Start WiFi Hotspot on my main phone (S22 Ultra) and then click on 'Start Head Unit Server' in Android Auto settings as seen below and then start the 'Headunit Reloaded' app on the Tab -



And Voila! Wireless Android Auto comes alive on the Tab. Visible here is the Multi Split View -



Spotify as the main screen. Audio streaming with zero lags on the car's speakers in full fidelity -



Google Navigation in full screen mode with music playing in the background through Spotify or even the stock head unit's SD card -



The Tab can be charged (if required) from the power socket. I saw a battery drain of just 4% every 30 minutes. 'WiFi only' tabs consume lot less battery than the SIM enabled ones. I tested it for more than an hour. So I foresee that it can easily go for 10 hours without charging. Zero Lags. Zero Heating Issues (with AC on) -



As can both the phone and the Tab be charged simultaneously, if required. Please overlook the image distortion due to the wide-angle view. The tab is not that enormous. Lolz -



The whole setup is totally WIRELESS and also lag free (at least with my hardware) -



As is visible, all information is displayed on all 3 places - The Tab, Your Stock Bluetooth Stereo and your MID, at least in my car. All steering controls work as normal. And all music/calls can be controlled by the steering controls or the stock stereo screen, as is evidently visible -



Calls are received as normal with your car's microphone and speaker setup working flawlessly -



When the Call comes, the stock music playing is automatically paused and call information is displayed in the MID too. The music restarts automatically after the call ends, just like any other android auto head unit -



This mount is good enough to also mount my phone, which I was doing earlier. But I doubt if I will ever go back to that setup now -



The mount is also very well thought out with even slot to charge your phone on the go -



The same setup was replicated on the A71 for FREE (as you need to pay for the app only once) for my BMW R1250 GSA or any other bike for that matter -



The setup is again totally wireless with my main phone (S22 Ultra) safely in my pocket while riding -



The crystal clear audio here is outputted through my Samsung Buds under my helmet or any other Bluetooth Headset you may have connected to your main phone -



Auto Brightness, in this setup, was kept OFF on Navigation Phone (A71 - 6.7"), and it's brightness was set between 50% to 70% to prevent over heating. Rest conditions are same as using any phone for navigation. Only thing is that your main phone is in your pocket, safe from the elements and vibrations. And you get a better Android Auto interface on your navigation phone than the stock navigation app.

Cheers for now...

[dkaile]

Using Samsung Tab on a motorcycle -

https://youtu.be/mTu5PtbjlBk?si=UgXE5VwoO2ff9dkE

Note - The android tab shown in the above video is a waterproof one. Though I think this screen size on a motorcycle is a overkill, but the OP in that video details reasons for using this bigger size, as it helped him in trail riding. Not necessary for a vast majority like us.

Cheers...

[TorqueIndia]

Glad your set up is working well.
I was having a similar setup in my civic for almost 2 years now, navigation is the best part of it.

One suggestion is that you can have a neat integration with magnetic mounts, if you stick them on the top of some easily removable tapes then it will be good for the trims too.

Originally Posted by TorqueIndia

Made an update to the setup replacing the suction type tablet holder with strong magnets. Looks good and user friendly.

Attachment 2401058

Attachment 2401059

Attachment 2401057

Headunit reloaded never worked for me, but I used one car link adapter and CARPLAY worked for me, but not so efficient though.

[dkaile]

Originally Posted by TorqueIndia

One suggestion is that you can have a neat integration with magnetic mounts, if you stick them on the top of some easily removable tapes then it will be good for the trims too.

Headunit reloaded never worked for me, but I used one car link adapter and CARPLAY worked for me, but not so efficient though.

HU reloaded is working for me perfectly both on my Navigation Phone as well as the Tab, and that too in the 1st go. It is so customisable that you can eventually get solution to all the problems, but most people don't delve that deep into it, to change the settings as per their needs. Maybe you should try updating to the latest version, as they keep on updating their software as per the latest Android Auto version changes. And of course, as it is a Android Only solution, Apple Car Play won't work on it. Never used Apple in my life, never will, except some iPods, many generations ago. Though my son is on everything Apple including iPhone 15 Pro Max, due to work related infrastructure constraints in that organisation, what irony!

I seriously considered magnetic mounts, but they would hamper my AC flow and other controls. Hence decided against it. This is the best non-permanent and reversible solution for me.

Cheers...

[Mitadru]

Though it's a nice idea , I am a bit confused on it's utility. I mean if I'm going to use a seperate tab, isn't it better to just mount one's mobile ? It will do the same job,and probably a better one. I connect it to my car using Bluetooth or AUX, and I use navigation as well as any music streaming app by utilising the split screen functionality. For the bike it's a good idea, cause they don't come with a head unit or any form of stereo, and it's a good idea to keep one's primary device out of harm's way . So can anyone please elaborate how it's beneficial compared to the traditional method of mounting one's mobile and using it for navigation ?
On a side note, I really like the initiative of the OP to find a solution on how to use Android Auto on two wheelers

[dkaile]

Originally Posted by Mitadru

Though it's a nice idea , I am a bit confused

So can anyone please elaborate how it's beneficial compared to the traditional method of mounting one's mobile and using it for navigation ?

Of course, your solution will work, and was also working for me too for ages. But then why did Android invent Android Auto? Better and more clutter free interface, perhaps! And AA is now working stock in most automobiles! Also as I have crossed 55 now, a bigger screen is a boon for my sore eye (laughing aloud - no SMS language allowed on TeamBhp ). Also then, why is the Auto Industry so keen to keep on increasing the screen sizes in their cars? Food for thought?

Cheers...

[pragvanshsaini]

I own a Tata Harrier (XM). Its a good option, I am also planning to add the One plus tab on above the infotainment screen with the help of magnets. For sure it will enhance the interior look and can perform many functions if compared to the stock infotainment screen.

[Mitadru]

Originally Posted by dkaile

Of course, your solution will work, and was also working for me too for ages. But then why did Android invent Android Auto? Better and more clutter free interface, perhaps! And AA is now working stock in most automobiles! Also as I have crossed 55 now, a bigger screen is a boon for my sore eye (laughing aloud - no SMS language allowed on TeamBhp )

Cheers...

Thanks for explaining. Now I'll have to search for and see where I have kept my Android 7 tablet It will be a boon in my Santro xing, where installing a new head unit would mean getting a new custom frame, and blocking a bit of the central AC vents.

[shresan23]

Very nice idea. I also have couple of phones lying around absolutely idle and i think i am going to implement it in my car. The problem i have with the existing android auto in my car is that the spotify audio through the android auto is downright bad. With this contraption, i think i can stream my music directly via bluetooth and enjoy better audio.

One thing i dont understand is, you could have purchased the sim version of the same tab. I understand your battery concerns but, given that you are carrying a portable charger (car), battery woes are redundant dont you think?

Of course, there is the issue of keeping the tab on charge all the time when you are in the car. I agree.

Personally, the Sim variant would have been a better choice. To each his own i think.

All in all, very cheap and supremely efficient ideas

[dkaile]

Originally Posted by shresan23

One thing i dont understand is, you could have purchased the sim version of the same tab. I understand your battery concerns but, given that you are carrying a portable charger (car), battery woes are redundant dont you think?

Personally, the Sim variant would have been a better choice. To each his own i think.

If I understand you currently, you want to make your main phone redundant, in that usage scenario, right? And use the Tab as a standalone device running Android Auto? So with a sim based Tab, I am not aware if that could run Android Auto without a transmitting (main) phone, standalone (if I understand you correctly), as far as I know.

You could always use it without android auto with other navigation softwares and skins, as that motorcyclist has done in my above mentioned video. He didn't even need cellular connection for his usage scenario, as he had already downloaded offline maps on his Tab.

If that is your usage scenario, then right. But if you want to use Android Auto, why would you need 2 sims operating concurrently in one car? One on your main phone and one on your navigation device (tab or other phone), other than causing battery drain for no rhyme and reason. WiFi Hotspot works perfectly and with better speeds than most sim based data connections, with minimum battery drain.

Unless you want to use your tab for other usage scenarios, like media consumption as a standalone device outside your home and the car usage scenario, in Non-WiFi zones (unlike your house, where there will be WiFi, in most cases), I did not feel the use for a sim based tab. Besides the added Battery benefits, that you mentioned.

Cheers...

[bhansali_hardik]

Originally Posted by dkaile

Using Samsung Tab on a motorcycle -

https://Youtu.be/mTu5PtbjlBk?si=UgXE5VwoO2ff9dkE

Note - The android tab shown in the above video is a waterproof one. Though I think this screen size on a motorcycle is a overkill, but the OP in that video details reasons for using this bigger size, as it helped him in trail riding. Not necessary for a vast majority like us.

Cheers...

Do we have a brand which sells such cases in India for Android tabs! I would not mind an overkill setup on my bike given that I have successfully destroy one iPhone and the current RE himalayans navigation system is strictly only for emergency navigation situation. A few extra minutes and the phone gets cooked and switches off due to extreme heat!

[raptor_diwan]

This seems like a good idea, but you have to remove the tablet every time you leave the car. If not, it might not be safe to leave a battery-based device in the parking lot exposed to direct sunlight. It could work in the short term or in colder areas, but the tablet's lifespan would likely decrease significantly due to heat generation and continuous charging during usage, especially during long drives, such as a 9-hour journey. Personally, I don't think it's safe. Additionally, there's a risk of theft if the tablet is left exposed outside; you'd have to take it back every time you park.

There are some concerns about its safety, especially considering factors like exposure to direct sunlight and potential theft risks. Your location seems to have harsh weather. Same reason why people avoid using dashcam with lithium batteries, they go with supercapacitor.

[dkaile]

Originally Posted by bhansali_hardik

Do we have a brand which sells such cases in India for Android tabs!

I think you should be able to find something that may suit your needs on Amazon India - https://www.amazon.in/s?k=bike+table...f=nb_sb_noss_1

https://www.amazon.in/CALADNIS-Table...s%2C221&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.in/Tablet-woleyi-...s%2C224&sr=8-2

https://www.amazon.in/TELESIN-Handle...s%2C224&sr=8-1

Also there are many costlier solutions available Chigee AIO5 Lite and Carpuride (Totally Chinese (#@), but I care for my kidneys


I am also re-posting the link for the Car Tab Mount from Amazon India, mentioned in my post above, as by mistake I had posted the link from Amazon US site earlier - https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B07...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

No affiliations to anyone.

Cheers...

[dkaile]

Originally Posted by raptor_diwan

There are some concerns about its safety, especially considering factors like exposure to direct sunlight and potential theft risks.

That is why I mentioned in the opening post - Removable in a Jiffy . And also re-installable in a jiffy too.

Cheers...

[GeeTee TSI]

I echo the concern about extreme heat (even higher than ambient outside temperatures at times) for a device predominantly designed for indoor use. The installation is neat and brings in that much needed modern convenience to a classic Superb cabin