Android phone functionality on the screen

[guest5641]

My dealer has mentioned that I will be able to duplicate my Android phone display on the new Jazz "Infotainment" screen which is also Android powered. I'm not convinced. Does anyone know if this can be done? I would like to use the TomTom app on my phone for navigation via the car screen, rather than shelling out an extra £600ish for a NAVI car model. Is this feasible?
Thanks
Tim

[John Ratsey]

The system has the Honda App Center http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/good-news-euro-shoppers-hondas-new-app-center-brings-cloud-based-content-car/ which gives Honda the opportunity to filter what can be installed "Only programs that meet certain “non-distraction guidelines” will be permitted".

There is further explanation at https://ivhs.os.ixonos.com/honda/help-app-center.html: "In Car Apps, you can browse through the apps available for your car's Honda Connect, purchase and download them. These apps include travel guides, navigation services and music or entertainment providers". The app I would like to install is OSMand because, once the maps are downloaded, it doesn't need an internet. However, I wouldn't be surprised if the Honda system has very limited user storage.

This description http://www.honda-kolovratek.cz/administrace/soubory_ke_stazeni/1427369165_cz_honda_connect_faq.pdf looks to be more comprehensive that what is in the car's handbook.

I have tried to connect to my household WiFi without success and need to do some investigations. The car could see the neighbours' WiFI system but not mine. Perhaps it can't handle a hidden SSID.

The system can also connect to the www via a smartphone. However, this needs a suitable data plan. Honda weren't generous enough to integrate a SIM with a lifetime data plan into the car.

[guest5641]

Thanks for this comprehensive response! Looks like my scepticism was well founded.

Incidentally the pdf you linked to mentions that you need an "open Wi-Fi" at home to be found by the Honda system, so if you've hidden your ssid that may well be the problem.

[John Ratsey]

I been doing some further research on this system. First I put a WiFi access point about 3m from the car with only a window in between. The car couldn't see it but my phone could. I was wondering if the car's WiFi wasn't working so I switched the phone to WiFi hotspot which the car quickly found (I was sat inside). Then I unhid the house WiFi SSD and, for a short while the car could see it and briefly connected, but then lost it again. I am wondering whether the car's WiFi antennae is in the unit in which case it will struggle to pick up external WiFi due to the metal screening the signal. However, the antennae must also be of a poor design since my phone will connect to the household WiFi when I'm sat outside in the car.

Regarding the ability for the system to echo what is on the phone, this may be the MirrorLink system http://www.mirrorlink.com/ which is mentioned in the pdf I found yesterday )but not in the car's handbook). On paper, I have a MirrorLink compatible car and a MirrorLink compatible phone but have yet to find some good documentation on how to get them to connect and what then happens. eg is the car's screen a dumb display or does touchscreen input feed back to the phone? I'll try to find time for a brief test.

The car does have some pre-loaded apps such as a calculator and a calendar.

Update: I am unable to get MirrorLink or similar to cooperate. The car will pair with the phone for handling calls but the car won't see the phone as a media server whether connected by Bluetooth, USB or both.  That's something else for the dealer to show me how.

[guest5641]

Look forward to hearing if the dealer can get the Mirrorlink to work!

[csp]

After reading several internet posts etc it looks as if a phone with Android 5 may be required to mirror onto the car screen, mine is has Android 4.4. The phone functions work ok but I have not been able to get the phone display on the car screen.

Android Auto Help gives some information.

https://support.google.com/androidauto#6140477

[guest5641]

But irritatingly the new Honda Connect system isn't Android Auto compatible, I think. My problem really is that I have perfectly good TomTom satnav (and other apps) on my phone, and I want to use that on the car's built-in screen rather than shell out for a "Navi" version new car, for which Honda will charge to update the maps on a regular basis.

[John Ratsey]

Yesterday, while at the dealer, I was shown that the entertainment system can connect to an Android 5 phone and mirror whatever is on the phone's screen. However, this stops the moment the handbrake is released so there's no chance of having a mapping app (or anything else running on the phone) being shown on the main screen while the car is in motion.

I was also told that the WiFi system in the car has very poor range and I would be lucky to connect to my household WiFi. This makes it expensive (ie mobile phone data usage) to download any additional apps onto the car's system. However, out of curiousity, I may try putting an access point on the end of a long network cable inside the car and see if that will work.

So it seems that much of the Honda connect System has the potential usefulness of a chocolate teapot while other aspects, such as the trip computer, could have been made more comprehensive (eg having an mpg display for the current and the previous journey - I think my hybrid remembered three previous journeys).

[JazzandJag]

Yesterday, while at the dealer, I was shown that the entertainment system can connect to an Android 5 phone and mirror whatever is on the phone's screen. However, this stops the moment the handbrake is released so there's no chance of having a mapping app (or anything else running on the phone) being shown on the main screen while the car is in motion.

Did the dealer connect the phone via the HDMI port or did they use the USB/Bluetooth connection (ie Mirrorlink v1.1). If the latter, I am surprised that it did not work whilst driving as that is the prime purpose of Mirrorlink. As I understand things, within Mirrorlink you can only use approved apps, but at least one navigation app is available. I would would very much like to hear from anyone who has managed to get either the Mirrorlink or the iPhone link to work properly whilst driving. 

In comparison, my neighbour has a Ford and connects his iPhone via Bluetooth and has full functionality of his mapping/navigation app whilst driving. Have Honda tried to ensure that the only way of getting on-screen navigation is by purchasing a "navi" model?

[JazzandJag]

other aspects, such as the trip computer, could have been made more comprehensive (eg having an mpg display for the current and the previous journey - I think my hybrid remembered three previous journeys).

I think the system does this. I have changed the "skin" of the system and some options are now easier to find. From the home screen I go to "Info" and then have the option of current trip and History of trip A available. The first gives the mpg of the current and previous trip, resetting when the car is started, whilst the history function shows the distance and mpg of the current and two previous values for trip A

[John Ratsey]

Did the dealer connect the phone via the HDMI port or did they use the USB/Bluetooth connection (ie Mirrorlink v1.1). If the latter, I am surprised that it did not work whilst driving as that is the prime purpose of Mirrorlink. As I understand things, within Mirrorlink you can only use approved apps, but at least one navigation app is available. I would would very much like to hear from anyone who has managed to get either the Mirrorlink or the iPhone link to work properly whilst driving. 

In comparison, my neighbour has a Ford and connects his iPhone via Bluetooth and has full functionality of his mapping/navigation app whilst driving. Have Honda tried to ensure that the only way of getting on-screen navigation is by purchasing a "navi" model?

I wasn't there while the technician connected his phone and was only called to see it when it was working. However, I've had a further fiddle with an Android 5 phone (Moto G) and while the car could connect via Bluetooth it couldn't find it as an audio source (which is where I was told to look). I'm not in a position to say that what you want can't be done but making it work doesn't appear to be easy. Perhaps a prospective buyer can get a dealer to go through the steps.

I think the system does this. I have changed the "skin" of the system and some options are now easier to find. From the home screen I go to "Info" and then have the option of current trip and History of trip A available. The first gives the mpg of the current and previous trip, resetting when the car is started, whilst the history function shows the distance and mpg of the current and two previous values for trip A

I tend to infrequently reset trip A (B is reset at each refill) so it's the current + one previous trip display which could usefully have more entries added. However, it's all relative since the computer's mpg seems to be at least 5% more optimistic that real life (and which will slightly increase as the tyres wear). Given all the recent fuss about car manufacturers fiddling test results then perhaps one follow-on subject should be the over-optimistic reporting of mpg.