How to Navigate Smartphone Apps in Your Car

Android Auto and Apple CarPlay provide drivers with numerous dashboard infotainment options

Edward C. Baig,

AARP

Comments

Published March 25, 2025

different icons showing up on a car dashboard

AARP (Getty Images, 2)

My car has an app from the automaker, but I’ve never paid much attention to it. I’m not really doing much with the car’s dashboard screen either, which I use for the radio and to peek at the backup camera.

Friends have told me that I can benefit from additional features for the car just by plugging in my smartphone and using either Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. Can you tell me more?

Cars have been described as computers on wheels for a few years now, which means that your software-driven automobile is a lot smarter than you think. And I’m not even broaching the subject of cars that can drive or park themselves.

Some of the latest, and in many cases, most luxurious newish vehicles boast fancy displays and advanced infotainment dashboard touchscreens, some that even use augmented reality (AR) tech. AR projects digital information on top of the real world.

Today’s cars are also packed with numerous safety-oriented features, from the backup cameras you mentioned to blind-spot monitoring systems. But even smaller and less extravagant screens can display lots of useful information, sometimes when the vehicle is due for maintenance.

Bringing your Apple, Android smartphone into your vehicle

You asked specifically about Android Auto and CarPlay, which loosely mirror what’s on the Android handsets or iPhones they symbiotically rely on. On the car’s built-in display, these platforms surface GPS driving directions as well as let you make and field calls; exchange messages; and hear audiobooks, music, podcasts and far-away radio stations.

In the car's display, you will see icons for compatible Android Auto or CarPlay apps, such as Google or Apple Maps, that also reflect what’s on your phone. The goal is to present all this in a manner that’s not supposed to distract the driver.

Ask the Tech Guru

Engage these platforms by tapping the app icons on the car’s display, pressing a button on the steering wheel, and/or using your voice to summon and direct the Google Assistant on Android or Siri on the iPhone hands free.

When I use CarPlay on a 2018 Honda Accord, I frequently ask Siri to play a given song or genre of music.

You haven’t specified what kind of car you have, but the gist of your question suggests it may be an older vehicle that lacks the latest bells and whistles.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, part of the Department of Transportation, began requiring backup cameras in all vehicles less than 10,000 pounds as of May 2018, but some manufacturers started adding them earlier. That weight threshold includes all cars and SUVs and excludes only the heaviest pick-ups and vans. Those backup cameras became a good reason for screens to spread beyond luxury models.

You also haven’t indicated what kind of phone you own. Neither Android Auto nor CarPlay is cross platform, so if you have an Android handset, you can’t use it with CarPlay, just as you can’t use Android Auto with an iPhone.

But if a family member, say, has a phone on the other platform, you each may be able to take advantage of your phone’s preferred auto app, depending on the vehicle and which phone is connected. I’ve connected a Samsung Galaxy and listened to music via Android Auto on the Honda.

Connecting the phone is pretty easy

First things first. Before you even start the vehicle, connect the phone to the car.

You can plug a USB-A or USB-C cable into an available port or leverage wireless Bluetooth and “pair” the phone to the car. Follow any minimal setup instructions.

Many cars give you both options. But if you run into snags, check with your auto’s manufacturer.

A wide number of models support the apps

More than 800 vehicle models are compatible with CarPlay, the earliest dating back to some 2016 models, according to Apple. Google says Android Auto is supported in more than 500 models, with the earliest also from the 2016 model year.

You can connect smartphones to even older vehicles not compatible with Android Auto and CarPlay to handle navigation, communications and entertainment. The functionality is likely more limited and typically not as seamless.

Meanwhile, older cars might have their own built-in GPS systems for directions. I have a 2010 Acura SUV that has a GPS that displays maps emanating from a physical DVD, which obviously speaks of an earlier era.

Android Auto and CarPlay leverage the maps apps on your phones.

But all the apps you use don’t have to be Apple or Google

You’re not necessarily tied into a given app within Apple or Google’s sphere. For example, while I certainly can and do often use Apple Maps in conjunction with CarPlay on the Honda, I just as often turn to Google Maps or Google-owned Waze.

Similarly, I can listen to Apple Music in the car. But I also have Spotify on my iPhone, and other third-party music apps inside CarPlay are available.

Drivers with iPhones don’t have to download a CarPlay app onto their phones. The technology is baked in.

Android Auto is built into phones running the Android 10 or later mobile operating system. For reference, Google’s latest release is Android 15.

If you are using an older handset with now-ancient Android 9 software, you must fetch the Android Auto app from the Google Play Store.

Some vehicles don’t play well with Android Auto, CarPlay

Apple and Google are by no means the only game in town. Teslas and other cars don’t have built-in support for CarPlay or Android Auto, but the vehicles have their own large display with numerous entertainment and navigational options.

In 2023, General Motors announced plans to ditch CarPlay and Android Auto on future electric vehicles in favor of an infotainment system it developed with Google. The shift began with the 2024 Chevy Blazer EV.

One caution with any of these systems: If you’re using a phone that does not have an unlimited data plan and you’re streaming audio or other data when using CarPlay or Android Auto, be aware you can quickly chew up your mobile allotment.

Bonus tip: Turn your smartphone into a digital car key

You may be able to use your smartphone to unlock your car with the capability of sharing this digital car key remotely with family and friends. The feature is reserved for certain handsets and on select cars, mostly starting with model years from earlier this decade.

You can manage these digital car keys inside the wallet apps on the respective phones. And some vehicles will allow you to start them remotely from your app, which can be handy if you want to warm up the engine in winter.

Moreover, you can typically use the keys for at least a few hours even after the battery on the phone poops out. That said, keep your regular car keys within reasonable reach, especially if you’re driving far from home.

Consult the car’s manufacturer to see if your vehicle is compatible.

%{postComment}%

Edward C. Baig covers technology and other consumer topics. He previously worked for USA Today, BusinessWeek, U.S. News & World Report and Fortune, and is author of Macs for Dummies and coauthor of iPhone for Dummies and iPad for Dummies. Follow him on LinkedIn; Threads; and X, formerly known as Twitter.