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(Image credit: Shutterstock)
(Image credit: Shutterstock)
I’m a big fan ofAppleCarPlay. So much so, that whenever I review acarfor work, the very first thing I do is connect myiPhoneand make sure Apple’s infotainment system is available.
But, while the system is very much a plug-and-play affair, I’ve identified five pitfalls to avoid if you’re going to get the most out of Apple’s CarPlay.
Sometimes this means going against the grain and passing up the opportunity for wireless convenience, while other tips will help you focus on the road and spend less time rummaging through menus to find your favourite apps.
1. Not plugging your iPhone in
(Image credit: Shutterstock)
(Image credit: Shutterstock)
As I said in the introduction, wireless CarPlay isn’t always the way to go. It’s certainly nice to have youriPhonepair up the moment you switch the car on, but it’s a surefire battery killer. For anything more than the shortest of journeys, you should always plug your iPhone into a USB port.
2. Forgetting to arrange your home screen apps in advance
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
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Here, you’ll be shown every car your iPhone has used CarPlay with, and you can adjust the order in which your apps appear on the displays of each vehicle.
For example, you can bringGoogle Mapsand BBC Sounds to the top of the stack, meaning they’ll appear on the first CarPlay home screen, and you won’t have to swipe across various screens to find them.
This can be especially annoying in a car that deactivates its touchscreen when in motion (I’m looking at you, Mazda).
3. Leaving your iPhone in direct sunlight
(Image credit: Apple)
(Image credit: Apple)
But some cars don’t offer stowage large enough fortoday’s iPhones, and I recently discovered that, with the roof down, in direct sunlight, and with Google Maps and BBC Sounds running via CarPlay, my iPhone threw in the towel and overheated. A message confirming this appeared on the car’s display, and I was left without navigation until the phone had cooled down in the shade.
4. Forgetting to use Siri for voice control
Don’t worry, I’m guilty of this one too. DespiteiOSbeing right there in front of me, I somehow forget that Siri is listening and ready to help out with any commands or questions I might have. Just say “Hey Siri” in the usual way, and CarPlay will pause your music and show on the dashboard display that Siri is paying attention.
5. Not using the Focus tool to cut down on distractions
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
Added to iPhoneswith iOS 15in 2021, Driving Focus is part of the phone’s Do Not Disturb system, but a bit smarter. Driving Focus can be customised to only show notifications from certain contacts, then show all other contacts, via a status in the Apple Messages app, that you have your notifications silenced.
You can also set your iPhone to automatically send a pre-written reply when someone sends you a text while Driving Focus is enabled. Contacts can then reply “urgent” if necessary, and the notification will come through to you as normal.
Once set up (via the Settings app thenFocus-> Driving), you can have your iPhone automatically enable Driving Focus when CarPlay is in use, or when connected to a car via Bluetooth.
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