Pioneer Brings Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to Any Car

If you’ve driven a car made in the last couple of years, it probably came with its own navigation system, real-time traffic and weather updates, satellite and Internet radio stations, even a way to search for nearby gas stations and ATMs.

You probably also found it really annoying to get to all these things, especially while barreling down the highway at 70 mph. Generally speaking, car makers and their technology partners are lousy at building user interfaces.

The AVH-4100NEX in-dash multimedia system. (Photo: Pioneer Electronics)

Now you can finally do something about that. Pioneer Electronics has introduced the first after-market solution that integrates with both Apple and Google smartphones, giving your car an interface as intuitive and easy to use as your mobile’s.

Read: Everything You Need to Know About Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

The Pioneer Network Entertainment eXperience (NEX) series of in-dash multimedia receivers gives you all the goodies you’ve come to expect from car infotainment systems, plus the ability to run an Apple or Google interface on top of it, with access to some (but not all) of your phone’s connected features.

Apple CarPlay on the Pioneer AVIC-8100NEX. (Photo: Pioneer Electronics USA)

Pioneer was the first vendor to introduce an after-market solution incorporating Apple CarPlay last fall; the new systems now add Android Auto to the mix. So if you’re an Apple fanboy but your spouse is a Google phandroid, either of you can take advantage of it. (Unless you’re both in the car at the same time, in which case you’re spoiling for a fight.)

But in-car convenience doesn’t come cheap. The base model AVH-4100NEX ($700) DVD receiver features a 7-inch resistive touchscreen. The AVIC-7100NEX ($1,200) adds Pioneer’s full-blown navigation and real-time traffic data, while the high-end AVIC-8100NEX ($1,400) adds a (better) capacitive touchscreen that allows you to swipe and pinch as well as press.

All the models let you access the voice-savvy search and navigation features found in both phones. If you need turn-by-turn directions, just press the voice button and tell it where you want to go; a robotic female voice will guide you to your destination. If you receive a text while driving, she will read back your messages, then prompt you for a response. 

Using just your vocal chords, you can have the NEX make calls, read back your schedule, get weather updates, play music, find the nearest pizza joint, or answer silly questions like “How far away is the moon?” It’s not all that much different from using Siri or Google Now on your phone, only you’re able to do it with both hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road.

Android Auto running on the Pioneer AVIC-7100NEX. (Photo: Pioneer Electronics USA)

You’ll need a phone running Android 5.x or an iPhone 5 or later to take advantage of these features. And there are some things you won’t be able to do while driving, for obvious reasons — like play YouTube videos, prowl Facebook, or have it read back your tweets. You’ll also need to use a cable to wire your phone to the NEX, which renders it otherwise inoperable; your passengers can’t use your handset to look up stuff while you drive.

Other downsides: You’ll have to manually switch from standard Pioneer interface to Apple or Google after you plug in your phone, and press a button on the screen every time you want to ask a question (instead of saying “Hey, Siri” or “OK, Google”). This prevents the NEX from randomly interrupting you while you’re conversing with passengers, but also forces you to take your eyes off the road for a split second.

And, of course, at prices ranging from $700 to $1,400 — plus another $200 or more for professional installation — it’s not cheap, though it’s still cheaper than ditching your current set of wheels for a new ride with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto built in.

Your next ride: The Ferrari FF. (Photo: IFCAR)

And for that, you’ll have to wait. Apple claims that more than 40 new cars supporting CarPlay will appear sometime in 2015; the only one shipping at publication time is the 2015 Ferrari FF, which starts at $295,000. Google lists 28 automakers who support Android Auto, but none are offering models you can drive away today.

Bottom line: If you’re already looking to upgrade your in-dash entertainment system, getting one that incorporates Apple or Google’s software smarts is a good call. But there’s no reason to drop several hundred dollars just for a spiffier interface.