Modern cars are not just machines for enabling users to travel from one point to another but a combination of hardware and software offering a versatile experience. Connected car technology has played a crucial role in enriching the in-car user experience and when it comes to in-car infotainment systems, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are the two most popular names in this domain.

Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto offer the users a connected experience syncing their phones and car's computers. While the Apple Carplay works with most of the iPhones, the Android Auto works with a majority of the Android-powered phones. The Apple CarPlay and Android Auto allow drivers to access their personal data and preferences with the vehicles they are in.

While the purposes of both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are similar, their functionalities and features are not the same. Each has respective distinctive advantages and shortcomings. Here is a comparison between the two connected car technologies.

Apple CarPlay vs Android Auto: User interface

Apple recently introduced the iOS 18, which brought in a plethora of changes to the Apple CarPlay. A host of customisation options have been added to the user interface and its functionalities. It gets a consolidated view of music, maps and Siri suggestions. The flexibility of dual screen with split view, larger visual area etc.

The Android Auto, on the other hand, received an update earlier this year, where there are shortcuts to the latest used music, navigation and phone apps at the bottom. It gets a Now Playing card, which is a smart feature. Also, Android Auto knows the user's most frequently used and default applications, showing Spotify or YouTube Music.

Apple CarPlay vs Android Auto: Navigation

Android Auto lets the user pan and explore their route just like they can on their phone. While Apple device users don't need to stick to Apple Maps, things are not as intuitive as Apple CarPlay when using the navigation applications. Apple CarPlay users need to use the arrow keys to move the map, which could be dangerous when driving. On the other hand, taking an alternative route is as easy as tapping the one highlighted on Android Auto.

Apple CarPlay vs Android Auto: Calls and notification

Apple CarPlay has received a couple of updates with the iOS 18, which include notification-related ones. The updated Apple CarPlay offers a notification-silencing option to users, which ensures no disturbance to the user while driving. Also, the message option now shows the profile picture of the sender, which helps the user to decide the importance of the message.

However, Apple CarPlay is more intrusive than Android Auto as it shows banners at the bottom of the screen, preventing the user from seeing where he or she is supposed to go if he or she needs guidance. On Android Auto, banners appear at the top of the screen. Also, Android Auto lets the user dismiss or mute a notification, which is convenient if the user doesn't want to be notified about specific updates but wants to keep receiving other notifications.

Apple CarPlay vs Android Auto: Voice commands

Voice assistant and voice commands are great ways to instruct the car's system or the phone's OS to perform a particular function. This allows the user to interact with their car or phone without physically handling the device or fiddling through the car's buttons while driving ensuring better safety. Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support this functionality, via Siri and Google Assistant. The Google Assistant is usually better praised for better understanding requests and commands and supports a more comprehensive range of third-party services compared to Siri.

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