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Android Auto is an exciting new platform, but as with anything to do with cars, it can be pricey to get your hands on it. Most people don’t want to buy an entire new car just for the infotainment system. Pioneer is one manufacturer who is making aftermarket Android Auto systems. We were able to see one in action in an actual car at CES.
The Pioneer NEX line of in-dash systems is made up of 3 different models. They range in price from around $700 to $1,400. In the video below we were shown the most expensive model, which has a 7-inch 800×480 capacitive touchscreen. It works just like any other Android Auto device. Simply plug in your Android 5.0 phone via the USB cable and Android Auto starts up.
The biggest difference with these systems is that you can put them in a wide variety of existing vehicles. Another bonus to this system is it also works with Apple’s CarPlay. If you share a vehicle with someone who uses an iPhone you’ll want to make sure they can use it too. Now you just have to figure out if your vehicle is compatible.
The Pioneer AVIC-8100NEX ($1,400), AVIC-7100NEX ($1,200), and AVH-4100NEX ($700) will be available starting in March 2015.
I don’t see these playing well with newer cars that already have their OEM “infotainment” systems that are tied into the vehicle’s CAN bus. It’s simple to replace a standard head unit in an older car, not so much on newer cars.
You are right, it’s very annoying to change the headunit in modern cars. Remote displays, buttons spread all over the dash, combined radio/ac/etc displays and so on. It’s been like that for about 10 years, probably the reason why the car audio market has taken a big sales drop over the last years.
Hopefully Vicki Miller isn’t real, or she’s going to get a lot of unwanted calls.
Yeah is she single?
Vicki Miller or VM was his shortcut to Voicemail, you can see on the screen the phone number was the shortcut to Voicemail.
I was completely on board with Android Auto. I say “was” because if I have to physically connect my phone via micro USB then I’m out. In my mind, in order for something like this to work, and, ultimately, be worthwhile, it has to function wirelessly. 95% of the time I’m in the car my phone remains in my pocket, so there is little chance I will take it out to then plug it in just to have this additional, often times useless, functionality available to me.
“Simply plug in your Android 5.0 phone via the USB cable and Android Auto starts up” – so wait, no phone no head unit?? And no plug in phone by a cable and no Android experience?? And it must run 5.0 (what, like 1% of Android phones do this)?? And at those prices??
Very cool tech on face value BUT is this just fail all over the place when you look at the finer details?
You can never stop tech progress. ;)
Mother of god… that price
you could buy a tube amp for your car, lol
I just bought the 7000NEX today and had it installed in my Tundra. I wonder if Pioneer will put out an update so that android users can use it rather then buy a whole new unit.
The price kills it. Go get an App Radio 2 or 3. If your phone is rooted run an App called AR Unchained and presto your phone is mirrored to your Radio. AR Unchained is free and seems to work pretty well. You could also use AR Liberator, but it will cost you $20. But the App Radio was $200 to $300 dollars. But with this set up has the ability of a $1500 Head Unit…
I will probably end up buying something like this for my car even if it is close to $1,000.
The increased safety factor alone is worth that much.
Here is a comparison sheet I made that is public. Who wants to help compare these with me?
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13rvqMaFaQK4X6Xtyg9RGxq-vwVJH6Kw5BMK3o-QZVSM/edit?usp=sharing
I gave up on that, I just narrowed all the pages side by side and there are some odd incosistencies. The cheaper one has a detacheable faceplate.
Would be cool if someone finished the chart to see what they all are.
Pioneering device with extremely hefty price… I’ll have to wait for more down to earth offers from other manufacturers.
I bought the PIONEER AppRadio SPHDA210 In-Dash
and I regret it all the way. Is not that user eco friendly.There’s not
many apps. GPS antenna doesn’t work unless us “ROOT” your phone. Dust gets
between the screen display. Is a fingerprint magnet… Well you name it
and it has it. $450 badly spent and regrets in every single use.
Resistive touch screen… O_O