There are about 300 000 Lexus cars sold every year in the US. Lexus started supporting Apple CarPlay in its vehicles as late as the year 2018. What that means is that from 2014 to 2017 about 1.3 million Lexus vehicles were sold and non of them supported Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Now you don’t have to be one of them, as there is an aftermarket Lexus CarPlay device, that enables old infotainment systems to connect with modern smartphones. One may think that the infotainment system is the least important part of the vehicle, but hear me out on this – Apple CarPlay or Android Auto (depending on your smartphone) can bring features to the table, which can amaze even the most conservative drivers. Let’s discuss a few features and benefits aftermarket Lexus CarPlay upgrade system has:
Controls – safety is the number one priority for every driver. To discourage distracted driving, voice assistant, such as Siri can be used to do almost everything. It can provide voice turn-by-turn navigation guidance, you can listen to or dictate text messages by voice input and listen to the weather forecast or stock results. It does not matter if your Lexus has a touchscreen display or knobs and buttons, if it controls your screen, it controls Lexus CarPlay.
CarPlay enabled apps drop into one of the five categories – Audio; Navigation; Automaker-made apps; Messaging; Food ordering and parking services apps.
Audio – with the aftermarket Apple CarPlay you can integrate all your playlists or downloaded music on apps such as Spotify or Apple Music. This can make the most boring car rides into fun experiences. Or you can listen to your favorite podcasts while driving on the interstate or stuck in a traffic jam.
Navigation – looking at a map while driving is a risky business. Fortunately, it can be avoided altogether. With the aftermarket CarPlay upgrade Google maps, Waze, or apple maps can be reached on your vehicle’s display. Turn-by-turn guidance can become your copilot while going through messy road junctions.
Default apps and factory functionality – as it integrates seamlessly with your Lexus controls and display, vehicle-specific features, such as climate controls, gas levels, or radio are accessible via CarPlay. Additionally, it is fully integrable with a secondary camera or aftermarket vertical screen.
Messaging – as already mentioned, with the Apple CarPlay you can listen to new messages and reply using dictation in an audio-only interface. Messaging apps, such as Telegram, WhatsApp, or Zoom integrate with a Voice Assistant and can be accessed hands-free.
With every update of the CarPlay app, you will get all new bells and whistles. With iOS 14, new app types, such as Parking, and quick food ordering became available. You can order pizza from your Lexus on the way to the restaurant or download an app highlighting all the open parking within range. Depending on the smartphone and vehicle model, phone swapping and some offline features became available too.
The Installation process of a device is not particularly hard. The small, boxy device is attached to a touchscreen, so it blends into the interior of a car. Afterward, it must be plugged into the infotainment system of your Lexus via USB or AUX and it is done. Still, if you are unsure about the compatibility of your Lexus or need a step by step installation guide, the company which produces the aforementioned device, Mozart electronics, has in-house experts who will be more than happy to assist you in the process.
