Hey!
I'm new to Android Auto.
I'm owning a Opel Astra which supports Android Auto.
Is it possible to use the Android Auto feature of the car to mirror the whole Android phone (like Mirracast)?
Thanks for any help.
Marcel
Unfortunately not. I was hoping somebody with the right skills would build a modified Android Auto app that can do that but since it hasn't happened yet I suspect that:
1. building an Android Auto app that mirrors the entire phone is simply impossible
2. the amount of people currently using Android Auto is too small to even care
3. nobody wants to risk being sued because somebody killed himself while using a modified Android Auto app
For now, just install the sensible Android extension for xposed. It does solve some annoyances and it is a good start
Kenwood head units in Australia do this, it sucks. Super slow and not very user friendly.
Short answer : access to the headunit using the Android Auto protocol is protected using a signing certificate. So basiclaly only Google can write a software that works with the head unit. So there is no way to create a custom Android Auto app unfortunately.
marcjero said:
Short answer : access to the headunit using the Android Auto protocol is protected using a signing certificate. So basiclaly only Google can write a software that works with the head unit. So there is no way to create a custom Android Auto app unfortunately.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can't it be cracked with xposed or something?
sosimple said:
Can't it be cracked with xposed or something?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think xposed could unlock some limitations (like application side loading) but won't enable something like mirroring..
Will the app mirror link not work
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Hi,
I have searched on the internet but I can't find any good info about android auto.
First I don't understand how it works. I have seen that you need android auto on your phone in order to communicate with your car device but what is running on the car device? Is a different type of operating system?
Can I add an application developed for Android on Android Auto?
adrian94a said:
Hi,
I have searched on the internet but I can't find any good info about android auto.
First I don't understand how it works. I have seen that you need android auto on your phone in order to communicate with your car device but what is running on the car device? Is a different type of operating system?
Can I add an application developed for Android on Android Auto?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AA consists of 2 parts -
AA application running on the phone
AA client on say a car headunit (could also be another android phone or an android tablet) that mirrors the AA phone display
AA can be run self hosted on a phone, then you don't need the second part.
If you want to have a fixed display (client/server setup) in the car & you don't already have a car headunit supporting AA, you can install an app such as HUR- https://forum.xda-developers.com/ge...ndroid-4-1-headunit-reloaded-android-t3432348 on the headunit/tablet. There's a trial version that you can download to try.
Hi kk131
Thank you for your replay.
So if is running on my phone this means that all my phone application will be available on my car console?
adrian94a said:
Hi kk131
Thank you for your replay.
So if is running on my phone this means that all my phone application will be available on my car console?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As the purpose of AA is to enable phone use during driving, it provides limited access with a simplified display :
Google assistant - so you can have voice interaction
Phone
Navigation - waze/google maps
Music apps - google play music, spotify (depends what you have installed on your phone)
Great info.
I am asking this because I have an application of podcast on google play and I would like to be available on AA and I am trying to find out how can I do that.
Do you know any relevant info on the web that can clarify me? I am guessing that there are some constraints if we speak of automotive
Install AA on your phone., run it, see if the app is shown in the menu. If it isn't you can go into AA developer mode and enable 'unknown sources' and test again. The thread I referenced above covers getting in AA developer mode.
If that test is successful, then go further and install the client on your car console.
Great, I will try it and come back with some answers.
Thank you for your time
Hello again,
I manage to complete all my tests and all was ok. I have installed a few applications and one custom application and all worked ok.
I have one more question for you if you can help me of course.
Do you know a tutorial or something from where I can start with Android auto? I have seen that there are not tow application (one for Android and one for Android auto ) is the same app but for Auto version are fewer scenes.
If you can give me a hint here it will be just great.
Thank you.
adrian94a said:
Hello again,
I manage to complete all my tests and all was ok. I have installed a few applications and one custom application and all worked ok.
I have one more question for you if you can help me of course.
Do you know a tutorial or something from where I can start with Android auto? I have seen that there are not tow application (one for Android and one for Android auto ) is the same app but for Auto version are fewer scenes.
If you can give me a hint here it will be just great.
Thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It would be helpful to know what hardware you have in your car.
I'm not an expert, I use a Nexus 7 tablet for the car display with headunit reload (HUR).
Hello all,
I have not found a thread/ROM about this, so I guess it is not possible. or is it?
It seems like it "should" be possible, but maybe the Head Units have some special hardware code that makes it impossible?
Thanks,
Mark.
Google "nexus 7 car stereo" for thousands of ideas.
CZ Eddie said:
Google "nexus 7 car stereo" for thousands of ideas.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, but I don't think I've made myself clear... there is a HUGE difference between installing the Android Auto app on a tablet and a built-in Android Auto device.
Everything I have seen by searching has been a tablet or phone with an app... The Android Auto app is going to be killed off very soon, and certain functionality will be developed only for the built in devices.
My question is whether a tablet can be hacked so GOOGLE sees your tablet as a built-in device, and will issue it with updates etc.
tx
Mark
Even the chinese HU don't use android auto they have some other app that does the same and most people don't use it. In the end the concept of mirroring isn't that practical and there's too many hurdles such as apps have to be enabled for it...
nic2k said:
Even the chinese HU don't use android auto they have some other app that does the same and most people don't use it. In the end the concept of mirroring isn't that practical and there's too many hurdles such as apps have to be enabled for it...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So better to use a 3rd party app then I guess. Tx
Hello folks. I've been reading a lot to fix this issue but no luck yet so I come to you. I have a Pixel 4XL running android 11, and a smartwatch brand Haylou Ls05, with the apk Haylou Fit.
The thing is I cant set the proper permissions to use the location services in the background. Mi GF has a android 10 phone and no problem.
I already tested everything I founded over the internet and nothing works. When I start running, the app goes good until the screens is off and the tracking of the running gets lost.
Any suggestion? Thanks in advance!!
Are you running without your phone? This watch doesn't have any GPS chip or functionality, so it is not going to track your location or track your your route by itself. Sorry if this was obvious already but I don't know what your use case is. On Android 10/11 you can control the location use on a per-app basis. If your watch app uses the newest API and supports this function, you will see under the Haylou Fit app permissions>>location the following: (Allow all the time/Allow only when using the app/Ask every time/ Deny). If you don't see this option in your app settings then the app itself needs to be updated. It's not the phone that is the issue, but the app. See the screenshot attached. Android 10 has this same functionality, so I'm not sure why your GF's is working correctly and yours is not. You may try removing and re-installing? Please post a screenshot of what you are seeing under location permissions for this app. Cheers.
Thanks very much for your answer. Yes, I run with the cellphone to use the gps of it because the watch does not have gps. Sorry i'm not very familiar with API, but I understand now that it is a problem of the app itself and not of android. My screenshot doesn't show the "allow all the time" item, as i would like to.
Any way to force it? like patching the app o magisk or something I could do? I like this watch very much , its small and light, and would really like to be able to use it..
Thanks you for the answer.
Agustín.
agucasta said:
Thanks very much for your answer. Yes, I run with the cellphone to use the gps of it because the watch does not have gps. Sorry i'm not very familiar with API, but I understand now that it is a problem of the app itself and not of android. My screenshot doesn't show the "allow all the time" item, as i would like to.
Any way to force it? like patching the app o magisk or something I could do? I like this watch very much , its small and light, and would really like to be able to use it..
Thanks you for the answer. Agustín.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not that I know of. I still would like to know why the app it works on your GF's phone (10) and not yours (11) because they both have the same location security options. Is the "always" option available on hers, or is it working on the "when app is running"? Running the same version? This may be related to the API used by the app and until the dev updates it, it will not work. Try contacting the dev? Contact info is available on the Google Play Store.
Hi,
I'm disappointed with AA. I think there is some space for an open source alternative to this system which is so closed.
Moreover the end of life of the standalone version makes me feel that Google doesn't care much about their customer experience.
I tried the Google Assistant driving mode and it's... a disaster for now.
I think it would be easy to create a great AA like launcher. But to make it succesfull there must be a community and an ecosystem around that. Apps are important even in automotive context.
Typically Waze is a key app that many drivers want.
At this time I'm wondering what is the best approach to start this kind of project. I see few show stoppers and I'm interested to get some thought from you about that.
1/ Head unit integration : long time ago I worked on the reverse engineering of the AA protocol. I discovered that the protocol is using SSL certificates. Head units holds a public key and mobile use a private key provided by Google Play Services. The problem is that these certificates have very short lifetime (about 6 months) and if I remember fine the root cerificate will expire in 2030 or something. I don't think that head unit s check the expiration date anyway (because many of them don't have system time). But for sure you need a Google private key in order to initiate communication with a head unit. The key could be captured decompiling code few years ago, don't know if it's still as simple as that.
If head unit really don't check the expiration date then it could be possible to replace the whole AA stack with an independent one.
But even if this work I'm not sure it's possible to disable the native AA protocol and take control of the USB port without rooting.
2/ Apps integration. There are 2 categories of Automotive apps : media apps and navigation apps. I think there are also a category for messaging apps.
Navigations apps are apps that provides an automotive friendly display. Waze does this for example.
Media apps are easy to integrate becaase they rely on the legacy mediabrowser APIs.
Integrating the navigation apps is tough. Because these apps are exposing a special AA service that only privileged apps can invoke (by default).
However apps dev can also allow a third party app to connect their dispkay service. This won't ever happen except if the car launcher become mainstream.
Good point is that would not require any change in implementations : it's just an access right problem.
I have seen a lot of car launchers in Play store. They all display the apps on native mode which is not what you want while driving.
Any comments to this ?
I would also like to see an alternative way...but unfortunately I did not find anything yet.
I'm also not happy with everything on Android Auto.
For example:
- I have apps (e.g. navigation) that are not compatible with Android Auto
- I can't accept Whatsapp calls on Android Auto
- The navgation of media apps is not the best way (if you want to change the playlists, there are way too many inputs necessary)
- I can't turn off Google Maps (GPS) to preserve battery and reduce heat on the phone
- I need internet (I live in a rural area...therefore sometimes I don't have internet and then in a lot of times, Android Auto just crashes...)
- I don't like Google's update policy (it's just good luck if a new version of Android Auto works stable). I want to have a working version and leave it on the phone.
From a user standpoint I definately would like to see an AA alternative. I don't need to watch videos or anything like that but there are a few necessary apps for me that AA doesn't allow.
SOFO888 said:
- I don't like Google's update policy (it's just good luck if a new version of Android Auto works stable). I want to have a working version and leave it on the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can achieve that by disabling Android Auto automatic updates on Play Store app.
CaioTheBrain said:
You can achieve that by disabling Android Auto automatic updates on Play Store app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, unfortunately not. Every Google app has an expiration date, also Android Auto. This expiration date then forces you to update your app. Otherwise it will not start.
There are a few Android dongles that trick the car's headunit into thinking it is connected via Android Auto. However, most of the devices are CarPlay AI units that trick the headunit into thinking is is connected to a CarPlay device and then display the Android system through the headunit. But they are all buggy.
Perhaps something can be learned from how they do that. An app that mimics Android Auto but allows full user control would be great.
I am by no means an expert but I want to help do this! I liked using rooted devices for AA and having AA tweaker but I always felt like it was just the start of something not a finished product so I'm definitely down with this. What I feel like would be the simplest approach would be making an Android auto app that (it communicates with your phone and doesn't need data) runs on a cheap tablet that you put on your dash or wherever in the car and from there you have full control over the app and device. Just my thoughts
Did someone tried sreen2auto? Its mirroring your phone to your android auto. Search it on XDA forum.
drnightshadow said:
Did someone tried sreen2auto? Its mirroring your phone to your android auto. Search it on XDA forum.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used to use Screen2Auto but it required too much upkeep every time Google made changes to Android Auto. The last time it broke I couldn't get it working again.
I have a 2016 Mazda CX-5. It has a touch screen if you use it in the default way (touch only when the car is stopped, otherwise the knob selector must be used). But immediately after you connect an Android Auto, it disables the touch screen even if the car is stopped. This isn't very pleasant because many functions are much faster with using a touch screen (entering an address for example). I'm talking about when a car doesn't move.
AFAIK, Mazda made this decision because Android Auto doesn't allow BOTH the touch screen and physical controls (knob selector) to work. They decide on physical controls and the touch screen is then disabled.
Do some of you guys have any idea if this (theoretically) can be overridden? Is this the reason why Coolwalk (beta) doesn't work on cars with knob selectors (Mazda, BMW, Audi ...)?
Is this limitation coded in Mazda's infotainment firmware?
I have the same car. The default Mazda entertainment software with original USB hub allowed touchscreen with hacked Android Auto tips from Mazda forums. But when I decided to use my iphone with the car which interface much more useful and beautiful, the tech guy upgrade the software on the car & replace the hub, then Android Auto disable the touchscreen. I try several times but the ugly interface and the dead touchscreen force me to prefer Apple Carplay. Even the latest beta AA cannot use touchscreen.
Tnx.
AFAIK, the touch screen is disabled only on Android Auto? Can you confirm that the touch screen works while using Apple CarPlay?
I've got a mazda 3 2018, I've installed AA with MZDAIO. As it was possible in the tweak to remove this restriction, i've done it, so the touch screen always work. But still, I never use it.
Honestly, learn to play with the knob. Except for the keyboard, I love controling AA with the center knob, bottons do exactly what they are supposed to, no missclick while driving, easy and fast to control. Bonus point, the screen stay clean loll
When I need the keyboard, I use my cellphone anyway.
I think with AAWireless there is an option to remove this restriction too.
Tnx.
You are right. MZDAIO is a firmware for infotainment and it can remove this restriction.
I have the official firmware (MDZAIO installation is more complex with the latest version of official firmware) and looking for a solution there.
Don't get me wrong - I also love the knob and Mazda really made a great job there. But when using Android Auto, many actions are slower and inconvenient.
I'm using Carsifi (AA Wireless competitor) and it can't remove this restriction. Can someone confirm that AA Wireless can remove it?
tuncan said:
Tnx.
You are right. MZDAIO is a firmware for infotainment and it can remove this restriction.
I have the official firmware (MDZAIO installation is more complex with the latest version of official firmware) and looking for a solution there.
Don't get me wrong - I also love the knob and Mazda really made a great job there. But when using Android Auto, many actions are slower and inconvenient.
I'm using Carsifi (AA Wireless competitor) and it can't remove this restriction. Can someone confirm that AA Wireless can remove it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can see the option in the print screen
Tnx, but I don't understand (I tried with a dictionary to translate at least some words).
In your opinion, which option can disable touch screen restriction?
I know that there are Android Auto limitations on how many touches/clicks are allowed. Maybe you have this on your mind?
tuncan said:
Tnx, but I don't understand (I tried with a dictionary to translate at least some words).
In your opinion, which option can disable touch screen restriction?
I know that there are Android Auto limitations on how many touches/clicks are allowed. Maybe you have this on your mind?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, i haven't think to change my device language ^^
Well, i remember before having aawireless, when i was looking for music in vlc, aa force to stop scrolling every...20 rows? And i do not have that anymore
tuncan said:
Tnx.
AFAIK, the touch screen is disabled only on Android Auto? Can you confirm that the touch screen works while using Apple CarPlay?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's work with Apple Carplay and the Mazda entertainment system
Tnx for confirmation.
ShadowJP88 said:
View attachment 5784301
Sorry, i haven't think to change my device language ^^
Well, i remember before having aawireless, when i was looking for music in vlc, aa force to stop scrolling every...20 rows? And i do not have that anymore
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tnx, now I understand what is on your phone's screen
The option "Remove tap restriction" (probably) removes Google's restriction for "too much clicking/touching on the screen". What I want is to enable a touch screen. It is disabled on Mazda's infotainment when Android Auto is connected.
hix same problem. native AA on Mazde can't touch. need use custom AA install by Mazda AIO but it' not stable.
but i upgrade fw to 74+, AIO Tweak not compatible. i think should be familiar with the knob
I too have a hard time using apps with that stupid knob. Some functions are slow using knob, that I can still tolerate. However, some function just must use touch. For eg, when using Waze, sometimes I need to scroll the map to see my route. There is no way to do this with knob other than to zoom in/out. I just want to move the map at the zoom level I am at.
AIO is also not an option. I need to buy special connector to get it working and it's quite complicated.
Why can't Mazda just allow touch!??!
i connected to mazda connect SSH. can edit android auto source code to active touch?
I am the same, the central control is very comfortable but there are some options of applications that would be easier to use the touch ... hopefully someone finds the solution