Range Rover Sport L320 - Apple CarPlay & Android Auto Integration
We've had this MY11 L320 Range Rover Sport visited us back in last Thursday the 13th, for CarPlay & Android Auto Integration.
The customer initially bought a camera integration kit from us, but wanted to add the CarPlay & Andorid auto as well, and wanted us to do the installation also. We must say that the CarPlay / Android Auto is somewhat an easy job for us as We've done it numerous times.
But for the camera - certainly not the job you can confidentally say 'It will be done in a day' - which in fact We had to keep the car overnight to finish everything, whilst working on other cars of course.
How does CarPlay / Android Auto Work
With this 2nd gen audio of JLR (We just call it 2nd gen, Others often call it Denso NAV audio or IAM1), You do not lose anything from the vehicle whatsoever, unlike those IAM2 audio equipped Range Rover Sport (L494 / 2014-2016) do lose original Sat Nav whilst our unit is being installed.
The only changes you will receive is that, when you press the NAV button on the center console, It will take you to the CarPlay / Android Auto screen, and then If you press the NAV button again, then It takes you to the original NAV screen. So It gets quite handy when you are in the area where the mobile network is terrible / doesn't exist - then you at least have a back up.
And to listen to a Music / Digital radio from CarPlay & Android Auto - You will need to se the audio source to AUX, which can be accesible from AUDIO -> Portable Audio -> AUX
The reason we use the AUX is due to that our product is an 'external' device, so It does not work like a native feature of the car when It's installed.
And with the connection wise - you don't need to connect your phone physically to the 3.5mm port, we all know most of mobile phones are ditching AUX input.
That's for the general sound coming out from CarPlay / Android auto. And for the calls, It will use the native Bluetooth of the vehicle, as the phone will still be paired to the cars bluetooth and It will control the incoming / outbound calls.
And here it is - CarPlay & Android Auto, on your L320.
Keep in mind that these weren't even a standard feature for a current model Range Rover Sport , till 2018.
So It will be a huge upgrade compared to those stock L320s or even L494 with IAM2 Audio.
It still uses the original touchscreen, but be advised that the original touchscreen they've used is a resistive screen, probably the old tech resistive one and It will not provide the smooth touch response like using your phone.
Kinda understandable as the original nav or radio does not need any swipe function in the first place, hence when you are swiping the screen to go to next page in CarPlay / Android auto, you will need to gently press the screen and push towards the direction you want It to move.
Other functions It can grant:
Those CarPlay / Android Auto products we use, usually have an input for a camera integration.
Which we actually did install one (as mentioned at the start of the post), and If the car already has a factory fitted one, It will also work with the original camea as well.
Those Steering wheel controls will still continue to work within normal IAM audio mode.
And in CarPlay / Android auto - most of those buttons will work like above .
Day / Night mode is really a simple & self explanatory function - basically the night mode kicks in whenever the headlight is on.
Majority of aftermarket Android Auto products, do not support this feature - CarPlay seems to be supported as It relies on the phone, whereas the Android Auto will rely on the car platform itself.
More details / actual footage of the operating is available from below video:
Thank you for reading.
