Problem with Android Auto

[Fraser]

My Clarity is the first time I've used Android Auto outside of the smartphone itself (Samsung Galaxy Note 9). Fairly regularly I've had all of the software navigation buttons (maps, home, audio, phone) disappear. I haven't been able to ascertain any pattern to when this happens but when it does it usually happens after the button has been unresponsive on first attempt and then second attempt at using the button results in all buttons disappearing.

My fix has been to unplug and then replug the USB cable, which is fine, but a bit of a pain and causes a reboot of the android-auto system.

Has anyone else experienced this? Is this simply a feature of Android Auto that I'm unaware of, and there's a simple way to get the buttons to reappear?

Other than that I've loved my Clarity. It drives as well as or better than any car I've ever had. I love the 50 mile electric range (previous car only had 25). It threw a charging error after an experience on a public charger that had me worried but that disappeared after a couple of days (should I be worried about that?).

 

[ryd994]

Never experienced that.
For Android auto , I had two issues.
1. Transient display errors. Some line can get blurr and mosaic. Just very small areas, not annoying.
2. Refuse to connect with my phone for two days. Fixed by "factory reset" the console. Yes, it is also running Android.

 

[Texas22Step]

I have been using AA with a Honda vehicle display for almost 3 years (first in a '16 Accord and now in a Clarity) and never had Fraser's issues. I have experienced some intermittent connectivity issues with the car's system, but all of this was solved just by using the USB cable that came in the box with my middle-of-the-road Motorola phone and wall charger. I am not exactly sure what difference a cable choice should make or why, but at least for me that has worked perfectly since I made that switch, and I really like not having to pay a car OEM several thousand $ for an instantly outdated third-party navigation system.

 

[bamba415]

If I were to guess, these issues sounds like symptoms of a system that is stressed. On a good day for me, AA is a bit unresponsive (my wife also made the same observation about CarPlay)..and I pretty much get disconnected every time once the battery fully charges. On a less than good day it completely freezes and I need to disconnect/reconnect like you. I've never seen the buttons disappear but *if* it's simply due to an overtaxed CPU, that seems like a plausible outcome. Android apps do cache data so you could clear the cache (I've had luck doing that when apps don't work correctly) or even reinstall AA but I'm not optimistic that's going to do much. The chips Honda threw into the Clarity are definitely underpowered and it is really apparent when running apps like AA or Carplay. In fairness, most of the time it works fine for me..I just need to be patient.

One alternative for Android users is to just mount your phone to the dash and run AA off of it directly. For phones with large displays (like your Note 9), it works pretty well but I don't believe you can do this with CarPlay. Although less optimal than running it through the head unit, it will load quicker and you won't need to worry about plugging in. AA can be configured to start automatically once it detects your car's bluetooth.

 

[Texas22Step]

If I were to guess, these issues sounds like symptoms of a system that is stressed. On a good day for me, AA is a bit unresponsive (my wife also made the same observation about CarPlay)..and I pretty much get disconnected every time once the battery fully charges. On a less than good day it completely freezes and I need to disconnect/reconnect like you. I've never seen the buttons disappear but *if* it's simply due to an overtaxed CPU, that seems like a plausible outcome. Android apps do cache data so you could clear the cache (I've had luck doing that when apps don't work correctly) or even reinstall AA but I'm not optimistic that's going to do much. The chips Honda threw into the Clarity are definitely underpowered and it is really apparent when running apps like AA or Carplay. In fairness, most of the time it works fine for me..I just need to be patient.

One alternative for Android users is to just mount your phone to the dash and run AA off of it directly. For phones with large displays (like your Note 9), it works pretty well but I don't believe you can do this with CarPlay. Although less optimal than running it through the head unit, it will load quicker and you won't need to worry about plugging in. AA can be configured to start automatically once it detects your car's bluetooth.

There seems to be variability in results if you are using AA in a Honda Clarity PHEV. As I already noted above, I have been using AA in a Clarity for about 6 months now, with no problems at all, and I have a pretty inexpensive mid-range Motorola Android 7.0 smart phone that I bought online from Amazon about 2 years ago. It certainly does not have the processing power of today's "flagship" phones nor the new Android operating system 8.0+.

I am reluctant to "blame" either Google or Apple for issues with their respective entries into automobile use for their respective smart phones. Think of the zillion variables they have to contend with when developing and distributing this software: literally, dozens of models and makes of cars with their respective head units, literally dozens of brands and model flavors of Android and Apple smart phones, widely varying cell-based wireless data networks from 5 or more "national" operators, and etc.

All I can say for certain is that AA seems to work perfectly with a Clarity PHEV head unit when running on a 2-year old Moto mid-range phone with Android 7.0. After that, all bets are off!

 

[fmolsAA]

I am going to put the amplifier and the sub, the head unit is already installed, please suggest a good converter that will cut and preferably together with the setting. And does the sound quality change much? I haven’t met people using it yet, so I didn’t see it at work, read article. It is too expensive to put another head unit, because you will need to put 2din, and the price is very high, the usual processor does not look natural and beautiful even with a frame. I need your advice.