Driving With Apple CarPlay: User Video Gives An In-Depth Look At The Interface [Video]

I just stumbled upon this demo video that shows what it is like driving around while using Apple CarPlay in your car. The video is from the YouTube channel "EFTMOnline" and shows a Pioneer AVH-X8650BT running Apple CarPlay from an iPhone 6.

The AVH-X8650BT is Pioneer's Australian equivalent of the AVH-4000NEX which is available in the United States.

Here's the video...



The video shows how all the functions in CarPlay are designed to work without distracting the driver. Even for panning the map, Apple uses arrows instead of swiping to scroll. The third-party app, Spotify, seems to be working without issues too.

Also, notice how the iPhone reacts to switching between functions on the head unit. When clicking on Messages on the head unit, for example, the Messages app launches on the iPhone. And pressing the home button on the iPhone, brings the head unit to the CarPlay homescreen too.

If you have the iPhone mounted next to your head unit in the car, and you use Maps for directions, the head unit will display the route information while your iPhone displays a list view of the turn-by-turn directions. This can be quite useful.

To use apps that aren't CarPlay compatible, you will have to access them from the iPhone itself. Audio is pushed through to the head unit and you even get basic 'Now Playing' information of the audio source.

As more third-party apps become CarPlay compatible, it will be interesting to see the interface they adopt. Currently, the CarPlay interface looks simple and easy to read and use while driving.

Apple CarPlay is currently available through the five Pioneer NEX head units and the new AppRadio 4 (SPH-DA120) in the United States. Corresponding head units with different model numbers are available in other countries.

Source: EFTMOnline via YouTube