Facelift How to Access Apple Car Play on my new 8V

[zee1]

My A3 8V was delivered last week while I was at work. It's an SE without the Navigation upgrade as I assumed I'd be able to use Apple CarPlay as it has the smartphone interface and I was on a tight budget.
I've got the MMI cable but can't figure out where to connect it, the owners manual doesn't have any info about Apple CarPlay.
Please can someone tell me how I can start using Apple CarPlay, or have I not got it.


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[Svenedin]

No USB port?

 

[MikeSel^]

It should in inside the arm rest?


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[DJAlix]

Connect via a USB to lighting cable and then navigate to connection manager on the MMI, select Smart Phone Interface and then select the Apple option from the sub menu.

 

[zee1]

Thanks for the replies. I've got 2 USB ports and an AUX port under the arm rest. There was an MMI cable with a white collar with the cars handbook but it has a VAG to lightening connector. Shall I use my normal lightening to USB cable in one of the USB ports under the arm rest


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[Tom.H]

All I use is my standard iPhone USB to lightning connector and it comes up on the MMI straight away.

 

[zee1]

All I use is my standard iPhone USB to lightning connector and it comes up on the MMI straight away.

I'll try it when I get home. Hope it works apple CarPlay was one of the reasons I decided to get a new A3 lol


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[AudiNutta]

I'll try it when I get home. Hope it works apple CarPlay was one of the reasons I decided to get a new A3 lol


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It's not very good, if I'm honest haha.

But it should work for you now, when you plug in it will immediately prompt you to ask if you want to use it.

 

[OST]

It's not very good, if I'm honest haha.

But it should work for you now, when you plug in it will immediately prompt you to ask if you want to use it.

Havd to agree, just use the bluetooth

 

[Tom.H]

I stick to Bluetooth purely and simply to keep use of the phone through hands free as I don't believe it works through the car with the lead connected.

 

[TYb]

I stick to Bluetooth purely and simply to keep use of the phone through hands free as I don't believe it works through the car with the lead connected.

Hands free still works, you just have to select the phone icon in car play, you do lose the steering wheel functionality though.

I think car play is brill for Spotify etc, both have pro's and cons.

 

[DJAlix]

Havd to agree, just use the bluetooth

Have to be connected via a Cable for Navigation though.

People dump on Apple CarPlay a lot but actually it is good and it does everything it says in the tin, its just not very elegant and needs more development.

 

[zee1]

It's not very good, if I'm honest haha.

Damn I need another car, or maybe think about getting an andoid lols

 

[AudiNutta]

Havd to agree, just use the bluetooth

I use the USB connection but use the Audi Interface, it's great.

 

[AudiNutta]

Damn I need another car, or maybe think about getting an andoid lols

I doubt that's any good either haha.

 

[cemerson]

I use Android Auto on long journeys, but both systems are pretty limited in what they can do. I'm also disappointed that if you use Android Auto for nav, it turns off the nav in the Audi system! I wanted to have both on at once so I could get 2 opinions

 

[AL_B]

One of the reasons I waited for a FL model was also for Apple CarPlay. Like AudiNutta says, its not that great to be honest. I think its probably more suited to touch screen based cars. But in ours, you have to use the MMI control knob to navigate around and it feels so cumbersome doing that. And if you come out of CarPlay, there's no quick way of going back into it.

It's a shame the MMI touch doesn't behave like a touch-pad (or mini touch screen) like it does with the built-in navigation system, or even [hypothetical]: swipe left/right/up/down like on an iPhone to move focus; push the MMI knob for Home button functionality. I'm sure they could come up with something better, rather than continually turning the MMI knob until you get to the icon or sub-command you want to activate. Its like tabbing between fields on a PC GUI when you have no mouse.

I think the main benefit though is Siri. The voice recognition and voice itself is much better than the built in one.

Was also surprised that there are not many CarPlay compatible apps (other than radio/music streaming, audi books etc.) and that the TuneIn Radio app doesn't list your Favourite internet stations.

Thought Find Friends would have been on there too, but isn't.

AL

 

[dpaz]

Hands free still works, you just have to select the phone icon in car play, you do lose the steering wheel functionality though.

I think car play is brill for Spotify etc, both have pro's and cons.

What steetring wheel functionality are you referring to when using CarPlay? Fairly sure mine all works fine. I use CarPlay all the time. I've sent so many messages using Siri it's easily saved me points on my license and Spotify and the ability to skip tracks using the steering wheel is very handy. The worst feature is the Apple Maps but hopefully they'll get better.

It's important to realise its still early days for CarPlay but already a lot of car manufacturers are including it in their spec's. The more demand there is for software improvement the better. I've already up-voted a thread on the Spotify forums about having a "add to library" button added to the the Spotify "now playing" screen.

 

[Ormesome]

I think the main benefit though is Siri. The voice recognition and voice itself is much better than the built in one.L

I could be wrong as i don't have Car Play but dont forget that Siri isn't using any part of the MMI. Its just using the speakers to shout out its commands through the car speakers & perhaps listen to you via the car microphone but this is debatable. Having said this, thats the way it was on the PFL. Has it changed on the FL? Would love to know if Siri is now integrated with Car Play?

 

[TYb]

What steetring wheel functionality are you referring to when using CarPlay? Fairly sure mine all works fine. I use CarPlay all the time. I've sent so many messages using Siri it's easily saved me points on my license and Spotify and the ability to skip tracks using the steering wheel is very handy. The worst feature is the Apple Maps but hopefully they'll get better.

It's important to realise its still early days for CarPlay but already a lot of car manufacturers are including it in their spec's. The more demand there is for software improvement the better. I've already up-voted a thread on the Spotify forums about having a "add to library" button added to the the Spotify "now playing" screen.

I was referring to the telephone button on the steering wheel, you can't access your phone book via this when using car play.

 

[zee1]

Here's an update. I tried connecting a lightening cable to the USB port and nothing happened! Thought it might be a faulty lightening cable so tried another one and success! CarPlay finally connected, I was over the moon till I tried it and now feel like I've been flogged a dead horse.
Anyone know where I plug the MMI cable (pic attached) I've attached a cable of my two USB ports

 

[Tom.H]

Didn't the PFL have a space for the MMI lead? Whereas the FL has the 2 USB ports.

 

[Boyakasha]

Those are the old style cables that don't fit, you should have a USB connections.

 

[DJAlix]

Here's an update. I tried connecting a lightening cable to the USB port and nothing happened! Thought it might be a faulty lightening cable so tried another one and success! CarPlay finally connected, I was over the moon till I tried it and now feel like I've been flogged a dead horse.
Anyone know where I plug the MMI cable (pic attached) I've attached a cable of my two USB ports

You should never have been supplied with this AMI lead pack as its for MMIv1 (pre-facelift cars), you should have been given an angled Audi to Lighting connector cable. I would go back to your dealer for the needed cable and then throw this pack on eBay for £30 to £40

 

[dpaz]

I got my cable when I picked my FL up and I was pretty impressed with the design of it. It has a flexible coiled cable and an angled USB connector.

 

[zee1]

I got my cable when I picked my FL up and I was pretty impressed with the design of it. It has a flexible coiled cable and an angled USB connector.

Could you take a pic please I'm going to have a battle getting the MMI cable replaced

 

[AL_B]

I found another annoyance at the weekend relating to having the phone connected via USB and CarPlay. If you have the phone connected in this way, you can't access your contacts/directory from the Audi MMI navigation system.

I think the built-in navigation is much better than the Apple Maps navigation, hence why I wanted to use the Audi one. But the reason for having the phone connected via CarPlay was because I think accessing music, podcasts etc. is easier with CarPlay, and less fiddly than with the Audi MMI Bluetooth route. Also having it connected via USB keeps the phone charged.

So bit of a catch-22. I know I could disable CarPlay, but it does have its plus points, such as better (I feel) text message dictation with Siri.

 

[TYb]

I found another annoyance at the weekend relating to having the phone connected via USB and CarPlay. If you have the phone connected in this way, you can't access your contacts/directory from the Audi MMI navigation system.

I think the built-in navigation is much better than the Apple Maps navigation, hence why I wanted to use the Audi one. But the reason for having the phone connected via CarPlay was because I think accessing music, podcasts etc. is easier with CarPlay, and less fiddly than with the Audi MMI Bluetooth route. Also having it connected via USB keeps the phone charged.

So bit of a catch-22. I know I could disable CarPlay, but it does have its plus points, such as better (I feel) text message dictation with Siri.

Yes that is annoying, you lose the steering wheel access to it, you can access your phone book though through car play, if that makes sense.

 

[SILVAF0XX]

I have to say that I think CarPlay is a bit naff. I'm not an iPhone user, but was really thinking that I would need to get one next time to ensure I have the best experience possible in the car, but don't think I'll bother.

I have an old iPhone 5s connected purely as a music storage device (it handles all my gapless albums perfectly which isn't supported by SD card) and I initially set up CarPlay for it and just thought it was a bit rubbish. I preferred the Audi interface. I obviously don't use the "phone" element for this device, so it purely for music & podcasts, but even so there is nothing making me want to keep CarPlay active.

I now simply have:

32GB SD card - All of my library of music in "decent" quality (minus albums Ministry of Sound, Euphoria etc...)
iPhone 5s via USB - a glorified iPod (even named it iPod) with all my gapless compilations.
Windows 10 mobile via bluetooth - My subscription based music (Groove) and access to everything else via the cloud if needed as well

I just wish I could get album art via Bluetooth!

 

[zee1]

I'm quite disappointed by Apple CarPlay, it was one of the reasons I took the plunge and upgraded from the 8P to the 8V.
I knew I'd have to sacrifice Waze, and a few other apps but am quite disappointed with the overall feel. The Navigation volume doesn't seem to be adjustable and the music apps are so limited.
As much as it hurts to say this I'm going to have to try Android Auto, I've stayed well clear of Android having moved over to iOS from RIM


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[AudiNutta]

Could you take a pic please I'm going to have a battle getting the MMI cable replaced

You shouldn't, their responsibility to help the customer find the right parts. You asked for an A3 MMI cable, they supplied you with the wrong one!

 

[AudiNutta]

I'm quite disappointed by Apple CarPlay, it was one of the reasons I took the plunge and upgraded from the 8P to the 8V.
I knew I'd have to sacrifice Waze, and a few other apps but am quite disappointed with the overall feel. The Navigation volume doesn't seem to be adjustable and the music apps are so limited.
As much as it hurts to say this I'm going to have to try Android Auto, I've stayed well clear of Android having moved over to iOS from RIM


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It is a crap interface, totally not worth the hype.... a big fuss made for nothing, so much nicer without it. Android Auto will have the same set backs! Save yourself £600+ on a new smartphone!!

But you can't have seriously changed the car for Car Play? haha.

 

[zee1]

It is a **** interface, totally not worth the hype.... Android Auto will have the same set backs! Save yourself £600+ on a new smartphone!!

But you can't have seriously changed the car for Car Play? haha.

Course not the Electromechanical Parking Brake was the deal breaker!



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[zee1]

You shouldn't, their responsibility to help the customer find the right parts. You asked for an A3 MMI cable, they supplied you with the wrong one!

Because I ordered my car through a broker I'm pushed around from pillar to post nobody seems ready to take responsibility. Will tackle it next week now


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[Michael Paul shields]

is there a way to check if you have carplay my audi s3 is a 2014 model

 

[DJAlix]

is there a way to check if you have carplay my audi s3 is a 2014 model

You don't, as it was not available until late 2016 in the A3 platform.

 

[Michael Paul shields]

You don't, as it was not available until late 2016 in the A3 platform.

no problem. thanks

 

[Goner]

Apple car play is garbage in my opinion i prefer to use the MMI functions.

 

[batu]

I got an 2017 8v a3 cabrio and this is my usb port can i enable applecarplay on that car?

 

[DJAlix]

View attachment 239016
I got an 2017 8v a3 cabrio and this is my usb port can i enable applecarplay on that car?

Sorry no. You would need to retrofit a second generation media system or install an apple CarPlay box to your car.