After years of anticipation CarPlay finally arrived on MINIs last year. Offered in its latest and great wireless form, it promised unequalled mobile integration and ease of use. We’ve been living with it in our new JCW Countryman and over the last 5,000 miles have formed a few well informed opinions. Notably that CarPlay is at best medicroe and should be classified as beta software until major updates are offered.
After years of anticipation CarPlay finally arrived on MINIs last year. Offered in its latest and great wireless form, it promised unequalled mobile integration and ease of use. We’ve been living with it in our new JCW Countryman and over the last 5,000 miles have formed a few well informed opinions. Notably that CarPlay is at best medicroe and should be classified as beta software until major updates are offered.
Don’t get me wrong. Integration with your mobile device is great and a holy grail in the automotive infotainment world. But how CarPlay goes about it and what it forces you to give up make for an experience that’s decidedly not Apple-like.
Let’s talk about inconsistent connectivity. It’s happens. Frequently. As in all the time. And it’s not just my MINI or MINIs but I’ve experienced the issue in all eight BMWs I’ve tested this year as well. It’s particularly frustrating when your on a call and you suddenly wonder why there’s no one there. It’s because the person on the other end is now speaking through your ear piece in your phone. This is an issue that is plaguing all wireless CarPlay and has for over a year now.
Then there’s Apple maps and its second rate traffic and POI data that makes getting places at first hilarious and then frustrating. When Google recently released Google Maps and Waze I thought that frustration was over. Unfortunately you cannot officially set a default mapping app on CarPlay. And because the map shortcut button on MINIs is set to bring up the default mapping app on CarPlay (something that cannot be changed) I find myself battling (and cursing) Apple Maps existence on my phone as I hunt for Google Maps or Waze.
And that’s not to even mention how MINIs own navigation system is actually superior to Apple Maps. First it goes the full width (CarPlay doesn’t support wide screens yet). It also has excellent POI information these days. Coupled with a vastly improved voice command system, the latest version of MINI’s Navigation system generally outperforms Apple Maps from most perspectives.
If you can avoid accidentally opening Apple Maps and focus on Google Maps or Waze things immediately get better. Unless you want to pinch and zoom or even quickly glance down the road on the map as you can on your phone or even in MINI’s own nav system. Neither allow for that as that seems like a limitation within CarPlay itself.
CarPlay works to keep eyes off the phone and on the road and thus the second you check your messages, the map on your MINI’s screen goes away. In principle it makes sense but in practice it’s yet another frustrating experience that feels arbitrary in use. I often look at my phone at lights to compare traffic data or route suggestions (commuting in Chicago demands this). Unfortunately CarPlay takes away this ability – something easily done with the MINI navigation.
Finally there’s the design itself. Filling up just 2/3rds of the screen, CarPlay is just a series of big dumb buttons. There’s not split screen or no way to get a peak into each app (as BMW latest iDrive offers – coming to the MINI next year). It all adds up to an experience that really feels unfinished and even rushed to market. Which of course it isn’t since CarPlay was launched almost three years ago.
There’s so much more. Slow performance, inconsistent interactions and a design that feels like it’s made for the vision impaired.
I have had an allegiance to Apple products (for better or worse) since the late 90’s when I began a career in design. I’m currently surrounded by four Apple devices and generally love most experiences they offer. In other words I’m not someone who’s ever publically shamed an Apple product. Until now. But CarPlay is that mediocre. Actually it’s that bad.
The good news is that there’s an incredibly easy solution. Turn it off. Enjoy MINI’s system as it’s one of the better systems on the market. And do what we do; use CarPlay (and Waze specifically) when you’re on a long road trip. Otherwise CarPlay just feels like a square peg in around hole. Which of course it literally is on a MINI.
<p>Bummer. I guess they needed more time.</p>
<p>The article title is hilarious. Got a good laugh out of that one.</p>
> MINIs own navigation system … has excellent POI information these days.
Funny, the POI information in my 2015 F56 seems to be stuck in 2013, and it’ll cost me $200 to update it. A huge benefit of Apple Maps (or Google Maps, or Ways, etc.) is that the supporting data is continuously being updated, not frozen in time until you fork over some cash.
<p>I’ve used Android Auto with both a pre-production Hyundai Veloster and in my wife’s new Honda CRV. Seamless is the one word I’d use to describe how it worked in both. No issues choosing Waze over Google Maps, no issues dropping connectivity.
So, so glad BMW decided to make excuses as to why they couldn’t build Android Auto compatibility and would stick with Apple CarPlay. They nailed that one. Sigh…</p>
<p>I’ve used Android Auto on a couple cars and found it as frustrating.</p>
<p>Guess I’ve been lucky then!</p>
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<p>MINIs own navigation system … has excellent POI information these days.</p>
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<p>Funny, the POI information in my 2015 F56 seems to be stuck in 2013, and it’ll cost me $200 to update it. A huge benefit of Apple Maps (or Google Maps, or Ways, etc.) is that the supporting data is continuously being updated, not frozen in time until you fork over some cash.</p>
<p>Yup that’s the deal breaker as these cars age. The next generation will have aover the air updates for maps and software but until then it’s definitely an issue.</p>
<p>That’s not “next generation” stuff. My 2019 F56 S has live traffic info and map updates over the air. It’s part of the Iconic package with CarPlay and navi.</p>
<p>I’m referring to OTAs for the entire software system similar to how Tesla operates.</p>
<p>CarPlay works best in rental cars. No need to lean a new interface when jumping from brand to brand for short periods of time.</p>
<p>I agree. However in my experience it works best in rentals because they tend to have very poorly designed infotainment systems that are a chore to use.</p>
<p>I have a love / hate with CarPlay. Much prefer the Spotify interface in CarPlay than MINI Connected as it’s easier to navigate IMO. The biggest reason I prefer CarPlay is the traffic information and routing with Google Maps always seems more accurate than the MINI Nav. Built-in nav doesn’t seem to look for quicker routes when traffic is present, only if there’s an incident.
However, I do have issues with CarPlay not connecting at times, and the car has actually turned CarPlay off a couple times itself somehow. Plus not having the navigation information in the HUD with CarPlay is a bummer.</p>
<p>Anyone else run into the issue where CarPlay randomly kicks you out of whatever you’re doing and loads your most recent playlist?</p>
<p>Only seems to happen if you use your phone directly while it’s synced… which for us is a weekly occurrence as I often drive the wife’s car while she’s the passenger. Doesn’t seem to matter if you’re only checking email or browsing a website, just randomly overrides the radio and opens up your playlist. The problem isn’t just limited to BMW or MINI either, from what I’ve read.</p>
<p>Are you talking about your phone randomly jumping to the music app when you’re using it directly and it’s the connected device in CarPlay? Not sure if you know, but CarPlay is designed to be the only way you interact with your device when it’s connected. If you go home on the phone, CarPlay goes home. If you press the Music button on the CarPlay display, it forces the phone to go in to the Music app. If that’s what you’re talking about, that’s intended to be that way. CarPlay is meant to be an extension of your phone, so you don’t have to touch your phone while driving.</p>
<p>It’s essentially the exact opposite — where you’re using your phone directly while CarPlay is technically connected, but CarPlay is not actually pulled up or being interacted with on either device.</p>
<p>Usually the scenario plays out something like this:</p>
<p>We’ll be listening to AM/FM or satellite radio while I’m driving. She decides to look something up on her phone’s web browser, check an email, etc. (but nothing actually CarPlay or audio related). Sometimes it’s almost instantaneously, other times it’ll be after a few minutes of continuous phone use, but without warning, it will eventually load up your most recent playlist in CarPlay on both the head unit and on your phone — overriding and forcing you out of whatever you were doing on both devices. And you can’t just hit MINI’s back button to return to the radio or whatever else you had up, either (it just brings you to CarPlay’s main menu).</p>
<p>It’s extremely frustrating to deal with, since the only way to prevent it is by either not using the phone, or by disabling Bluetooth to keep it from connecting in the first place (neither of which are very convenient).</p>
<p>And it’s without a doubt an ongoing issue with the CarPlay software itself, not MINI/BMW’s implementation. I’ve seen posts referencing it on the Apple tech support forum as early 2016, and it appears to affect both aftermarket and other brands of OEM head units with CarPlay functionality. We had the issue with both an iPhone 6s and an 8, and while I’ve read a few reports of people having some success with factory resets of their phone, the problem would always return after a new update or reimporting their iCloud settings.</p>
<p>(* For reference purposes, we have a 2018 Countryman S)</p>
<p>That’s not the experience I’ve had. Honestly, one of the reasons I left my precious Hondas behind and opted to try a 3 year lease with Mini is because of the tech in the cabin. The HUD, the colorful lights, and the fact that no one else currently has wireless CarPlay. Other than the nightmare I had at the dealership with them properly activating SOS and CarPlay (since they’re “paid” features and BMW is clueless), I haven’t had issues with the system. Since properly activated, it’s been pretty good. Sure, there are occasional connection issues, but they’re rare. I think that maybe you don’t understand what CarPlay is for. It’s for interacting with your mobile device by voice, and occasionally using the screen when you can glance over to it for just a second. Also, I don’t understand what you mean by not being able to set Google Maps or Waze as the default… because you can reorganize the icons on the home screen yourself, and once you’ve used an app, it becomes one of the 3 quick icons on the left. So, if you prefer Waze, just tap Waze and that’s the icon that shows as one of your recent apps.</p>
<p>Also, I’ve noticed a large number of issues with the grammar and spelling in all of the articles on this site. Do you folks not have a proper editor to look over your articles before they’re published?</p>