Help. Old guy question here. UConnect and Android Auto.

[ShenValley]

I'll freely admit technology of today escapes me tremendously. Not all of it but apparently my new truck is throwing me for a loop. My last truck (Ford) had no UConnect or Android Auto or anything similar. I am absolutely confused on what exactly I can do with this system and it shows every time I get in the truck. I see one thing when I start the truck and I have my Android in there with me. But it seems I have to go to Apps and hit Android Auto to be able to see some things I need to see. My phone and the Waze app are something I need and I have a subscription to Sirius and I also have Pandora for when I am home. But I am confused on how to use all this and to be honest the manual is just confounding me. Is there something kind of simple that will make sense that I can use?

 

[bigdodge]

I'll freely admit technology of today escapes me tremendously. Not all of it but apparently my new truck is throwing me for a loop. My last truck (Ford) had no UConnect or Android Auto or anything similar. I am absolutely confused on what exactly I can do with this system and it shows every time I get in the truck. I see one thing when I start the truck and I have my Android in there with me. But it seems I have to go to Apps and hit Android Auto to be able to see some things I need to see. My phone and the Waze app are something I need and I have a subscription to Sirius and I also have Pandora for when I am home. But I am confused on how to use all this and to be honest the manual is just confounding me. Is there something kind of simple that will make sense that I can use?

this is what I do. android auto is hidden on my phone so I have to open google maps put in my destination. start truck, plug in my phone into the usb outlet.
wait a few and it shows android auto on the screen, tap that and I am ready to go.

 

[ShenValley]

this is what I do. android auto is hidden on my phone so I have to open google maps put in my destination. start truck, plug in my phone into the usb outlet.
wait a few and it shows android auto on the screen, tap that and I am ready to go.

I appreciate this but I am still very confused at the difference between Uconnect and Android Auto. I prefer Waze over Googlemaps but it kind of seems G-Maps may be doing the same thing as Waze on my truck. Showing heavy traffic, police on the road and so on.

 

[bigdodge]

I appreciate this but I am still very confused at the difference between Uconnect and Android Auto. I prefer Waze over Googlemaps but it kind of seems G-Maps may be doing the same thing as Waze on my truck. Showing heavy traffic, police on the road and so on.

for a simple term uconnect is another name for the radio and the controls in the truck

android auto is google maps for the radio, by putting what is on the phone on the radio screen.
the waze app should work the same way as google maps
"Waze is supported and integrated into Android Auto, so you can use Waze as the navigation app when connected to a compatible car head unit. If your car supports Android Auto, you can have Waze displayed on your car's infotainment screen and use it for all your navigation."

tell us a little more about your truck
do you have the radio with the navigation built in?
what package came with the truck level 1 or 2 or A or B
what size screen on the radio

 

[Aseras]

You can pick the "cards" the screen shows, either fullscreen, or half music, half apps, half buttons, climate or whatever.

It should remember what you used last. If you have music fullscreen and then plug in phone for waze, android auto or whatever it should go back to how you selected last.

The first time you need to ok on the phone, or when google decides to do an update and wipe your settings becuase google reasons.

 

[ShenValley]

for a simple term uconnect is another name for the radio and the controls in the truck

android auto is google maps for the radio, by putting what is on the phone on the radio screen.
the waze app should work the same way as google maps
"Waze is supported and integrated into Android Auto, so you can use Waze as the navigation app when connected to a compatible car head unit. If your car supports Android Auto, you can have Waze displayed on your car's infotainment screen and use it for all your navigation."

tell us a little more about your truck
do you have the radio with the navigation built in?
what package came with the truck level 1 or 2 or A or B
what size screen on the radio

2022 Bighorn. No navigation. Level 2. 8.4 screen. I went out twice this am and both times it shows Android Auto on the screen at the bottom and shows Googlemaps. I can hit Media and select Sirius and go from there. If I hit the Android button on the screen it takes me to the Phone button now at the bottom in place of the Android button. I can hit Apps and then Android and go back to Android. I'm sure I'll eventually figure it all out but just find it so confusing right now. My phone is in a cradle and I can hit the #1 to pull up a voice mail but the keypad does not work to enter my code to pull out the message and I cannot hang up that way. That is a difficult one as well to figure out. I need to find a local teen come figure this out for me.

 

[bigdodge]

I need to find a local teen come figure this out for me.

so true

 

[Snekpete]

You have an Android phone like a Samsung Galaxy? You need a Google Play account on the Android phone. On the phone go to Google Play and download Android Auto onto your phone.

After that the Android Auto App(lication) will automatically open on the phone when you connect the phone to the USB port on the truck. You will have to allow access to the phone so keep an eye on the phone for pop ups when you first connect it to the truck. After allowing access you do not need to do it again. At this point you can use Google maps on the truck to navigate.

If, after time, there is a problem you may need to uninstall and reload Android Auto on the phone.

Uconnect Starting:


Uconnect with the Android Phone USB connected:


Touching the Bullseye circle above the radio icon takes Uconnect to the Android Auto home page which is shown above. From there you can select Maps:



I'm an old guy too, but I spent my career in software so now I'm just ten years behind, that's all.

 

[ShenValley]

You have an Android phone like a Samsung Galaxy? You need a Google Play account on the Android phone. On the phone go to Google Play and download Android Auto onto your phone.

After that the Android Auto App(lication) will automatically open on the phone when you connect the phone to the USB port on the truck. You will have to allow access to the phone so keep an eye on the phone for pop ups when you first connect it to the truck. After allowing access you do not need to do it again. At this point you can use Google maps on the truck to navigate.

If, after time, there is a problem you may need to uninstall and reload Android Auto on the phone.

Uconnect Starting:
View attachment 138504

Uconnect with the Android Phone USB connected:
View attachment 138505

Touching the Bullseye circle above the radio icon takes Uconnect to the Android Auto home page which is shown above. From there you can select Maps:

View attachment 138508

I'm an old guy too, but I spent my career in software so now I'm just ten years behind, that's all.

Well you are apparently ahead of me. I trained K9's and handlers for most of my life. But I did find Android Auto under settings on my Galaxy. When I open it I see a "Connect a Car" which maybe means It never loaded into my truck? I do see Android Auto on my screen so I know it is picking it up. Beyond that I am uncertain.

 

[Snekpete]

Well you are apparently ahead of me. I trained K9's and handlers for most of my life. But I did find Android Auto under settings on my Galaxy. When I open it I see a "Connect a Car" which maybe means It never loaded into my truck? I do see Android Auto on my screen so I know it is picking it up. Beyond that I am uncertain.

If you can open Android Auto on your Galaxy phone then you are good to go! The truck does not need to have any software installed beyond what came from the factory. You do not need to manually connect a car. Plug the phone into the USB port below the radio console in "the hole". The Android Icon should then appear on the truck's touch screen. If after doing this the Android Icon, highlighted in the above picture, doesn't appear or activate you have an old app on your phone.

To get the latest Android Auto App on the phone go into Settings->Apps->Android Auto and uninstall it. Then go to the Google Play store and search on Android Auto to get the latest version.

 

[bigdodge]

Well you are apparently ahead of me. I trained K9's and handlers for most of my life. But I did find Android Auto under settings on my Galaxy. When I open it I see a "Connect a Car" which maybe means It never loaded into my truck? I do see Android Auto on my screen so I know it is picking it up. Beyond that I am uncertain.

post some pictures so we can see what is happening

 

[Snekpete]

If you don't have the phone connected via USB, Uconnect will look like this:


Make sure to connect the phone via USB like this:



If you still can't get the Android Icon then reload the Android Auto App on the phone.

 

[Mountain Whiskey]

OP, you are plugging in with the USB? Hooking up via Bluetooth is not the same. Unless they upgraded in 2022. I don't know what year you have.

 

[Kooch80]

uconnect 5 has wireless android auto/car play so you don't have to use the usb cord.

 

[ShenValley]

uconnect 5 has wireless android auto/car play so you don't have to use the usb cord.

That is something I read as well but that is about the only thing I seem to know.

 

[Ram12375]

I have android auto and feel like it forces itself on me. Automatically pops up with Google maps. If I turn my Bluetooth off to try and get rid of it, it just turns my Bluetooth back on Automatically. I do need it but wish I could select it when I want it. Sure I am just not smart enough to figure it out.

 

[ShenValley]

Someone asked for pics. I just sat in the truck on this rainy day playing and I'm far from mastering this thing. But I feel I can navigate a little better. One weakness is the phone on the screen. My cell is in a holder sitting up high and I can push number 1 on the phone to pull up voicemails. But pushing the code then pound on this truck system is another story without pulling over and playing with things. Trying to figure out a way where I can see it easy enough without pushing all kinds of button. But one pic shows this apparently is connecting my phone wirelessly. One shows most of my apps from my phone and one the screen when I turn it all on and Android Auto kicks in. Maybe this is just the cost of modernization in our trucks and it is no longer simple to use.

 

[bigdodge]

uconnect 5 has wireless android auto/car play so you don't have to use the usb cord.

right but for new people until they can figure it out
imo better to connect with the usb cord

 

[bigdodge]

Someone asked for pics. I just sat in the truck on this rainy day playing and I'm far from mastering this thing. But I feel I can navigate a little better. One weakness is the phone on the screen. My cell is in a holder sitting up high and I can push number 1 on the phone to pull up voicemails. But pushing the code then pound on this truck system is another story without pulling over and playing with things. Trying to figure out a way where I can see it easy enough without pushing all kinds of button. But one pic shows this apparently is connecting my phone wirelessly. One shows most of my apps from my phone and one the screen when I turn it all on and Android Auto kicks in. Maybe this is just the cost of modernization in our trucks and it is no longer simple to use.





View attachment 138529





View attachment 138527



View attachment 138526

what happens when you tap the android auto button?

 

[bigdodge]

Someone asked for pics. I just sat in the truck on this rainy day playing and I'm far from mastering this thing. But I feel I can navigate a little better. One weakness is the phone on the screen. My cell is in a holder sitting up high and I can push number 1 on the phone to pull up voicemails. But pushing the code then pound on this truck system is another story without pulling over and playing with things. Trying to figure out a way where I can see it easy enough without pushing all kinds of button. But one pic shows this apparently is connecting my phone wirelessly. One shows most of my apps from my phone and one the screen when I turn it all on and Android Auto kicks in. Maybe this is just the cost of modernization in our trucks and it is no longer simple to use.





View attachment 138529





View attachment 138527



View attachment 138526

because you like waze
before you get near the truck turn on the waze app put in a destination press start then go to truck
see what happens