****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
Installed in my 2017 A3 e-tron. I started shopping for this after the Audi dealership told me I cannot retrofit CarPlay/Android Auto into my car. I was willing to pay over $1,000 for Audi to do the retrofit. This system seems to work just as good for a fraction of that price.Let me start by saying this installation process is not for the inexperienced or faint of heart. Even though the process only requires plugging and unplugging wires (no cutting or splicing or modifying), fitting this unit and all the extra cable harnesses behind the glove box was extremely difficult. Videos I found on YouTube did not show this at all!The 7" screen in my Audi has really nice colour reproduction and brightness, but the pixel density is what shows the screen's age. You get used to it pretty fast. I love that the screen has a bit of a anti-glare matte finish.Once installed, the options screens can be a bit overwhelming, and there were a number settings that I used to have it work the way I like. Things like setting the output volume, adjust the edges of the screen, steering wheel controls, and which audio input to use. It's good to know that there are a ton of settings to make it work.I did not test out the AirPlay feature, YouTube app, Android Auto, or anything else on it's proprietary home screen. I only plan on using CarPlay. You control the unit using the main MMI dial, menu button, and back button. I know someone with CarPlay built into their 2018 A3, and this is identical to that. Honestly, I think I like this better than a touchscreen.The way the media and phone work with the car is that your iPhone still connects to the car's MMI directly through Bluetooth, and then the CarPlay system is just showing the display "over" the MMI UI. The phone and music is not being sent through the CarPlay unit. There is a setting to have the iPhone media sent through CarPlay, then the AUX of the car, but I found this created big delays in the controls and output (because of the wireless CarPlay bandwidth). Using the MMI's original Bluetooth audio has no delay, and it allows the song title and artist to show in the gauge cluster screen. I chose to disable steering wheel controls in the settings because the "back" and "menu" buttons on the left side of the steering wheel were activing CarPlay, when I only wanted them to control the gauge cluster screen. The next and previous track buttons on the right side still work through controlling the iPhone directly through bluetooth, instead of through CarPlay. Really nice, and really fast.The phone function works seamlessly with the car's built in microphone. "Hey Siri" works as expected.The CarPlay unit has option for wireless, and wired. Wired does not use the car's USB plug, it uses a female USB cable out of the unit. Because of this, I choose to use wireless. However, if you do plug your phone into the car's original USB to charge, the audio plays over USB cable, and the wireless CarPlay continues to function normally. This was a pleasant surprise. I kept the female USB port accessible in a side panel in case it's needed.Using this system daily is a breeze: When I get in the car and start it, bluetooth connects quickly and resumes whatever was playing last. Then the carplay unit boots and launches into CarPlay without any input in about 5 seconds. It's really slick, and all happens with my phone in my pocket. It's very easy to launch the system by holding the "media" switch on the console, or the "nav" button on the steering wheel. Very easy to switch back to the MMI, and you can still hide the while screen. I have no concerns with the speed of UI, even over wireless. It's really snappy, even better than many cars with wired CarPlay built in.The reverse camera also works perfectly. It takes over the screen when needed, and goes back to CarPlay automatically in drive, or if dismissed.My main concern with this unit is the amount of heat it generates in a small confined space. Hopefully it doesn't cook itself in the dash, but only time will tell. Thankfully this installation is fully reversable, and when it isn't activated, the car continues to function 100% normally.
