Android Auto for the 718 - via USB or wireless? - Page 5 - Boxster/Cayman - PistonHeads UK

(Asked as the search function on these forums is now useless) Is there any non-intrusive solution that can provide Android Auto (wired or wireless) for the 718 platform? I know that Apple CarPlay is supported via USB, but have no wish to ditch my Samsung S22 for an iPhone (been there, done that, will not do it again) I seem to recall that Porsche is offering an Apple/Android retrofit of some kind for the 997 platform? Some sort of USB plug-in solution which does not invalidate warranty would be very nice!

Hi I use https://www.nmautomotive.co.uk/product-page/pcm-4-... for my 718 GT4 with a Samsung Z Fold 3. Once setup works seamlessly

Modi said: Hi I use https://www.nmautomotive.co.uk/product-page/pcm-4-... for my 718 GT4 with a Samsung Z Fold 3. Once setup works seamlessly I have the NM Automotive thing for my 981 GTS. Works brilliantly via bluetooth. Just starts up when I turn the ignition on, phone untouched in my pocket. Nick at NM is really prompt if you have any questions and doesn't speak with an unintelligble accent (if you get my drift..) which is a big plus.

I've just installed this and happy with it so far. Does anyone leave it connected when the car is switched off? I locked the car and my phone was still connected to the device, which concerned me in terms of battery drain; I unplugged it from the car once I realised.

Very interested in this for my Macan GTs and my new 718 BGTS when/if it arrives before end of production. Also would like to know the impact of battery drain if left connected.

I have this device which plugs into the USB socket and then provides the wireless interface for Android Auto, however the car needs to have wired Android Auto for this to work. https://www.ottocast.com/products/android-auto-wir...

andygo said: I have the NM Automotive thing for my 981 GTS. Works brilliantly via bluetooth. Just starts up when I turn the ignition on, phone untouched in my pocket. Nick at NM is really prompt if you have any questions and doesn't speak with an unintelligble accent (if you get my drift..) which is a big plus. Do you have wired car play in your 981? Not sure what wired car play is or how I find out if my 981 has it? I have bluetooth and can play Alexa through to the car so should this work in my 981? Probably just buy one for the Macan and see if it also works in the 981. Unbelievable that my 718 expected year end still won't have Android Auto

Modi said: Hi I use https://www.nmautomotive.co.uk/product-page/pcm-4-... for my 718 GT4 with a Samsung Z Fold 3. Once setup works seamlessly Many thanks for the info. I have just ordered one!

Is this similar to Carlinkit: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Carlinkit-Wireless-Androi... My 718 GT4 get's delivered in March and I'm thinking what to do for wireless CarPlay too. From all the reviews and comments I've read regarding these wireless solutions, they seem to be a little hit and miss. Reports of connection dropping and lag when skipping through music. Has anyone experienced this?

Might be a dumb question...but my BGTS MY23 ...i tried connecting my pixel android phone to the USB in the armrest...nada. Am I being a numpty but should this open AndroidAuto? I launched it on the phone and it said plug in the cable...replugging also did nothing

PetrolHeadPete said: Might be a dumb question...but my BGTS MY23 ...i tried connecting my pixel android phone to the USB in the armrest...nada. Am I being a numpty but should this open AndroidAuto? I launched it on the phone and it said plug in the cable...replugging also did nothing The 718 doesn't come with AA enabled. You'll need one of the gadgets mentioned above. I bought this a couple of weeks ago on the strength of the earlier posts in this thread: https://www.nmautomotive.co.uk/product-page/pcm-4-... Works perfectly. The initial price quoted doesn't include VAT/tax or shipping though. I ordered on a Thursday evening, selected special delivery, was posted from Guernsey on the Friday and delivered to me by 10am Saturday morning.

Ahhhh. When I heard folks talking about wired AA needing to be enabled...I assumed that we got wired by default, just not wireless. Thanks!

NM automotive appear to have 2 options, wireless AA for £95 or full AA for £345. I'm not sure what's missing with the wireless option?

breadvan said: NM automotive appear to have 2 options, wireless AA for £95 or full AA for £345. I'm not sure what's missing with the wireless option? The dearer option effectively turns your PCM screen into a full blown Android tablet. It will require a data SIM card I think to work fully. You can launch apps, play videos and games etc. The £95 adapter, more like £120 once you pay tax and shipping, allows you use AA on the PCM, wirelessly via your phone. It basically tricks the car into thinking there is a wired CarPlay connection in place.

thanks very much, cheers.

Just to add to the posts above, the NM £95 Android Auto unit connects to the car via the USB in the armrest - your phone connects to the unit wirelessly, although the unit has a second USB connection to allow you to plug your phone into it to charge

john_1983 said: Just to add to the posts above, the NM £95 Android Auto unit connects to the car via the USB in the armrest - your phone connects to the unit wirelessly, although the unit has a second USB connection to allow you to plug your phone into it to charge Thank you for confirming - this is exactly what I wanted. The cost of this unit is neatly positioned at less than the £135 annual subscription required to get real time traffic info on the car's nav system. A one time cost versus an annual subscription makes plenty of sense, plus you can also use Waze and Amigo with speed camera warnings, as well as getting the RTTI.

Waze has saved me from points on my licence a few times, can't recommend it enough

Well, I received this in no time at all (good service from NMAutomotive). It connects really quickly and easily and it is great to have Waze and Amigo available on the car's screen along with speed camera (and other warnings). 2 problems however whilst in Android Auto mode:- - it fails to access any of my contact information so I have to enter phone numbers manually - the steering wheel "pick-up"/"end call" buttons do not respond, so I have to use the main touch screen for these actions. It is very useful to have the power through capability to keep my phone topped up. All in all, a very neat and useful product and should not impinge on the warranty (unlike the equivalent box from other sources, for BMWs)

Tony B2 said: Well, I received this in no time at all (good service from NMAutomotive). It connects really quickly and easily and it is great to have Waze and Amigo available on the car's screen along with speed camera (and other warnings). 2 problems however whilst in Android Auto mode:- - it fails to access any of my contact information so I have to enter phone numbers manually - the steering wheel "pick-up"/"end call" buttons do not respond, so I have to use the main touch screen for these actions. It is very useful to have the power through capability to keep my phone topped up. All in all, a very neat and useful product and should not impinge on the warranty (unlike the equivalent box from other sources, for BMWs) Just popped out to try this as I'm one of the posters above who has also bought this device. I've no issue with Contacts, I can see them in the "phone" screen, on a menu along the top for "Favourites" then "History" then "Contacts". Is it a permission issue somewhere? Do you maybe still have the "old" Bluetooth connection in place? I had to delete this during the set-up process to get AA to sync properly. I The "End call" button on the wheel works fine. The "Pick-up" button works as well I think for an incoming call. If I press it when there's no incoming call it takes me to the phone screen I mentioned above. I then need to use the button on the PCM itself to scroll down the Contact list. It's the same for Bluetooth only though. I find the voice control works pretty well.

mabosh said: Just popped out to try this as I'm one of the posters above who has also bought this device. I've no issue with Contacts, I can see them in the "phone" screen, on a menu along the top for "Favourites" then "History" then "Contacts". Is it a permission issue somewhere? Do you maybe still have the "old" Bluetooth connection in place? I had to delete this during the set-up process to get AA to sync properly. I The "End call" button on the wheel works fine. The "Pick-up" button works as well I think for an incoming call. If I press it when there's no incoming call it takes me to the phone screen I mentioned above. I then need to use the button on the PCM itself to scroll down the Contact list. It's the same for Bluetooth only though. I find the voice control works pretty well. I will check again tomorrow. I don't think there was a request to delete the old Bluetooth connection for this to work, so maybe this is the problem. I definitely need to spend more time playing with this!

Tony B2 said: mabosh said: Just popped out to try this as I'm one of the posters above who has also bought this device. I've no issue with Contacts, I can see them in the "phone" screen, on a menu along the top for "Favourites" then "History" then "Contacts". Is it a permission issue somewhere? Do you maybe still have the "old" Bluetooth connection in place? I had to delete this during the set-up process to get AA to sync properly. I The "End call" button on the wheel works fine. The "Pick-up" button works as well I think for an incoming call. If I press it when there's no incoming call it takes me to the phone screen I mentioned above. I then need to use the button on the PCM itself to scroll down the Contact list. It's the same for Bluetooth only though. I find the voice control works pretty well. I will check again tomorrow. I don't think there was a request to delete the old Bluetooth connection for this to work, so maybe this is the problem. I definitely need to spend more time playing with this! Tried again, and even though I have changed nothing in the config, I can now see all contacts in Android Auto mode. However, I still cannot get any response from the steering wheel "pick-up/end call" buttons. I will now try deleting the original Bluetooth connection (used prior to getting the dongle) to see if that makes any difference.

Tony B2 said: Tried again, and even though I have changed nothing in the config, I can now see all contacts in Android Auto mode. However, I still cannot get any response from the steering wheel "pick-up/end call" buttons. I will now try deleting the original Bluetooth connection (used prior to getting the dongle) to see if that makes any difference. Me again! Conveniently enough I got a call when I was in the car yesterday. My wife used the green "Accept" button on the PCM screen but it was either a little laggy or didn't work and I more or less simultaneously hit the Pick-up button on the wheel. One of them worked! The End-call wheel button definitely ended the call though. A bit of testing required probably to figure it out clearly. The gadget did have a problem connecting at one point yesterday when the car was switched off and my wife tried to play some music from the SD card. When I restarted the car the gadget couldn't connect to the car via Bluetooth. I've seen it do this briefly before but it often connects within a few seconds. However, this persisted for about 10 mins until the PCM restarted itself without my doing anything. It then connected straight away. Overall I'm very happy with it. It's great to have Google maps, Waze etc and proper control over music streaming.

mabosh said: Me again! Conveniently enough I got a call when I was in the car yesterday. My wife used the green "Accept" button on the PCM screen but it was either a little laggy or didn't work and I more or less simultaneously hit the Pick-up button on the wheel. One of them worked! The End-call wheel button definitely ended the call though. A bit of testing required probably to figure it out clearly. The gadget did have a problem connecting at one point yesterday when the car was switched off and my wife tried to play some music from the SD card. When I restarted the car the gadget couldn't connect to the car via Bluetooth. I've seen it do this briefly before but it often connects within a few seconds. However, this persisted for about 10 mins until the PCM restarted itself without my doing anything. It then connected straight away. Overall I'm very happy with it. It's great to have Google maps, Waze etc and proper control over music streaming. Isn't the dongle/car connection via the USB port only, with the Bluetooth providing the connection between dongle and phone?

Tony B2 said: Isn't the dongle/car connection via the USB port only, with the Bluetooth providing the connection between dongle and phone? Yes, you're right, it was the Bluetooth connection between the dongle and phone that wouldn't complete. I could see that from the PCM screen (which prompts me to connect my phone via Bluetooth to the dongle using "Porsche 0004" or similar). I tried several times to force the connection using my phone but it wasn't having it. It was trying to connect but timing out. However, once the PCM restarted itself, with no input from me, it connected straight away. Odd. It's been completely fine today. Edited by mabosh on Sunday 19th February 21:41

I tried one of these just for kicks and it works perfectly...what a cute little unit! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285046556801

PetrolHeadPete said: I tried one of these just for kicks and it works perfectly...what a cute little unit! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285046556801 That is the very same device, which I have bought - de-badged - for twice as much!

sorry to spoil your sunday

PetrolHeadPete said: sorry to spoil your sunday No worries!

Tony B2 said: PetrolHeadPete said: I tried one of these just for kicks and it works perfectly...what a cute little unit! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285046556801 That is the very same device, which I have bought - de-badged - for twice as much! Can you just confirm that this is the same as the NMAUTOMOTIVE device but just rebranded?

JurassicGTS said: Tony B2 said: PetrolHeadPete said: I tried one of these just for kicks and it works perfectly...what a cute little unit! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285046556801 That is the very same device, which I have bought - de-badged - for twice as much! Can you just confirm that this is the same as the NMAUTOMOTIVE device but just rebranded? Can anyone confirm this please, before I spend money on EB

PetrolHeadPete said: I tried one of these just for kicks and it works perfectly...what a cute little unit! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285046556801 Carlinkit is the one I keep seeing advertised on US forums and YouTube. I'm surprised more people haven't mentioned it on this forum. Can't tell whether the NMAUTOMOTIVE one does anything more special or is any more reliable then Carlinkit. My assumption was people in the UK opt for NMAUTOMOTIVE because it's British

JurassicGTS said: Can you just confirm that this is the same as the NMAUTOMOTIVE device but just rebranded? It looks the same to me. The NMAutomotive version carries no branding (on packaging or device), but the device otherwise looks the same, and delivers the same functionality as far as I can tell.

Tony B2 said: It looks the same to me. The NMAutomotive version carries no branding (on packaging or device), but the device otherwise looks the same, and delivers the same functionality as far as I can tell. Great thanks

Slightly weird behaviour spotted today. Picked up a call using steering wheel buttons, all worked fine, ended call also using buttons. System then lost audio (was on DAB). When I adjusted volume knob, the phone icon showed up; clearly it thought the audio was still owened by the phone/call. Had to unplug, power off the head unit AND repair my phone with *car* to get it back to normal Anyone else seen similar? Am I supposed to be connect to the dongle's WiFI btw (when I tried to use the 192.168.50.2 address to check for update it just timeout on the broweser)?

I have bought the Carlink version but when trying to connect to my Porsche PCM, it initially shows on the screen with an accept button but the screen is frozen. I then can't use the return button, I have to disconnect the device and restart the PCM. Anyone else have this problem?

Well, that will teach me to update my phone to the latest version of Android.... Dongle is now not connecting to my phone at all, and the status LED remains solid red. Hmmmm......

Tony B2 said: Well, that will teach me to update my phone to the latest version of Android.... Dongle is now not connecting to my phone at all, and the status LED remains solid red. Hmmmm...... My Pixel was already on Android 13 before I got the dongle in early January (from NMAutomotive). Never had any significant issues connecting (once or twice it's taking an unusually long time to connect or I've temporarily had a black PCM screen). I can vaguely recall a few people on various forums mentioning that the latest firmware for the dongle was causing issues with Android 13. I therefore didn't update the firmware when I received the dongle, even though the instructions suggest you do. If you have done so then it might be an idea to roll it back (if that's possible) or do a factory reset on the dongle (again, if you can do such a thing).

mabosh said: Tony B2 said: Well, that will teach me to update my phone to the latest version of Android.... Dongle is now not connecting to my phone at all, and the status LED remains solid red. Hmmmm...... My Pixel was already on Android 13 before I got the dongle in early January (from NMAutomotive). Never had any significant issues connecting (once or twice it's taking an unusually long time to connect or I've temporarily had a black PCM screen). I can vaguely recall a few people on various forums mentioning that the latest firmware for the dongle was causing issues with Android 13. I therefore didn't update the firmware when I received the dongle, even though the instructions suggest you do. If you have done so then it might be an idea to roll it back (if that's possible) or do a factory reset on the dongle (again, if you can do such a thing). I am going to try a full reset process (everything forget everything else) tomorrow, and start from scratch. (I am getting assistance from NMA)

718 Spyder and lack of wireless connection so I’ve bought one of these adapters anyone else had this ? [url] |https://thumbsnap.com/Rq5fvMCz[/url] Edited by JeffC on Thursday 6th April 19:18

Mine is all working properly now - including the steering wheel buttons for "pick-up/end call" which previously did not function. I had reached the point where my phone could not "see" the dongle, and so I could not even disconnect/forget it. In the end, I tried connecting a new phone (Android) and backed out once it was identified by the PCM. Then I re-connected the original phone, which was now seeing the dongle. A bit of a software glitch somewhere, but NOW sorted. edit reason: incompetence/fat fingers Edited by Tony B2 on Wednesday 12th April 15:10

Android Auto works natively on the PCM, it just needs to be unlocked. The forums of rennlist and 718forum have extensive threads on this topic. It isn't native wireless, but alternative methods to provide that are also covered.

You can now get Carlink 4.0 on eBay for £50 or less - I am about to order one.

Can I just check if these kits cause any problems with the PCM head unit and its wider functionality? I've read that some of the "invasive" procedures such as recoding the system or splicing adapters cause problems with the main screen or reversing camera.

mistermexican said: Can I just check if these kits cause any problems with the PCM head unit and its wider functionality? I've read that some of the "invasive" procedures such as recoding the system or splicing adapters cause problems with the main screen or reversing camera. If you are talking about the Carlink system, there is no invasive procedure, it is purely a USB plug-in, no recoding or adaptor splicing is required. Once you have plugged the unit in to power it up, you then just connect your phone wirelessly to the unit. This then gives you all the Apple Carplay/Android Auto functionality, via the PCM screen, but you can revert to standard PCM functionality merely by selecting the appropriate PCM icon.

Tony B2 said: If you are talking about the Carlink system, there is no invasive procedure, it is purely a USB plug-in, no recoding or adaptor splicing is required. Once you have plugged the unit in to power it up, you then just connect your phone wirelessly to the unit. This then gives you all the Apple Carplay/Android Auto functionality, via the PCM screen, but you can revert to standard PCM functionality merely by selecting the appropriate PCM icon. Sorry, I wasn't implying it was invasive. I was meaning to compare the Carlink to the invasive procedures where the invasive ones can affect the functionality. I guess the Carlink one doesn't affect the functionality at all or cause any problems?

mistermexican said: Tony B2 said: If you are talking about the Carlink system, there is no invasive procedure, it is purely a USB plug-in, no recoding or adaptor splicing is required. Once you have plugged the unit in to power it up, you then just connect your phone wirelessly to the unit. This then gives you all the Apple Carplay/Android Auto functionality, via the PCM screen, but you can revert to standard PCM functionality merely by selecting the appropriate PCM icon. Sorry, I wasn't implying it was invasive. I was meaning to compare the Carlink to the invasive procedures where the invasive ones can affect the functionality. I guess the Carlink one doesn't affect the functionality at all or cause any problems? Correct!

An interesting topic, thanks for everyone sharing their experiences. I have just bought a Carlink 4.0 from ebay so will let people know how easy it is to set up and how well it works in a week or two.

Will be very interested so see how you get on. I had one from a great forum member on a different site just to try and I just couldn't get it to work. Instructions that came with it were worse than useless, it only offered ipod or Apple Car Play no Andriod Auto and when trying to connect with the PCM it just froze as did the PCM! The guy who lent it to me said if it doesn't work bin it....which is where it went. Maybe it was just the unit. I have ordered the NMAUTOMOTIVE version, should have that today. Great communication from the guy who sells these. If this doesn't work, then I guess it's a cheap iPhone off Ebay just running data for Waze etc. So annoying that a new Porsche in 2023 doesn't have Android Auto.

JurassicGTS said: Will be very interested so see how you get on. I had one from a great forum member on a different site just to try and I just couldn't get it to work. Instructions that came with it were worse than useless, it only offered ipod or Apple Car Play no Andriod Auto and when trying to connect with the PCM it just froze as did the PCM! The guy who lent it to me said if it doesn't work bin it....which is where it went. Maybe it was just the unit. [b] I have ordered the NMAUTOMOTIVE version, should have that today. Great communication from the guy who sells these. [/b] If this doesn't work, then I guess it's a cheap iPhone off Ebay just running data for Waze etc. So annoying that a new Porsche in 2023 doesn't have Android Auto. Seconded - he was very helpful via email, when I had the problems mentioned in my earlier post (Wondering why the [b] bold text formatting [b/] is not working for me? Edited by Tony B2 on Friday 14th April 10:28 Edited by Tony B2 on Friday 14th April 10:30

My NMAUTOMOTIVE option arrived this morning and it works perfectly, so it must have been the old Carlinkit box that was faulty. Not tried the phone yet but Waze and Google Maps work perfectly and clear on the PCM. Only a couple of thoughts, Alexa won't show on the apps through this, so I still have to choose music through the phone rather than on screen and it seems to remain powered on so I have to unplug it from the USB socket when not in use. It does seem identical to the ones sold on Ebay however, so will be interested how yours works when you get it @lemontart.

JurassicGTS said: My NMAUTOMOTIVE option arrived this morning and it works perfectly, so it must have been the old Carlinkit box that was faulty. Not tried the phone yet but Waze and Google Maps work perfectly and clear on the PCM. Only a couple of thoughts, Alexa won't show on the apps through this, so I still have to choose music through the phone rather than on screen and it seems to remain powered on so I have to unplug it from the USB socket when not in use. It does seem identical to the ones sold on Ebay however, so will be interested how yours works when you get it @lemontart. Doesn't the USB port power-down after you lock the car?

Tony B2 said: Doesn't the USB port power-down after you lock the car? Will check.

JurassicGTS said: Tony B2 said: Doesn't the USB port power-down after you lock the car? Will check. Pretty sure it does. If I put the car in our garage and lock it, come in to the house straight away and put my phone beside the door, it shows AA is still active. If I go back to it a few minutes later is has disconnected so I think it powers down a few minutes after locking (a bit like the PCM also switching off after 10 mins or so when the engine isn't running).

mabosh said: Pretty sure it does. If I put the car in our garage and lock it, come in to the house straight away and put my phone beside the door, it shows AA is still active. If I go back to it a few minutes later is has disconnected so I think it powers down a few minutes after locking (a bit like the PCM also switching off after 10 mins or so when the engine isn't running).

NMAUTOMOTIVE kit is working perfectly and does shut down after a few minutes. Only quirk is that I have always used the car inserted data sim for the phone when in the car rather than my phones sim, however when connected to the Carlinkit it automatically switches from the cars sim to the phone sim and wont let me choose which sim to use for data!

LemonTart said: An interesting topic, thanks for everyone sharing their experiences. I have just bought a Carlink 4.0 from ebay so will let people know how easy it is to set up and how well it works in a week or two. This arrived this week, I spent 30mins getting increasingly frustrated with it one evening then put it back in the box. Had another go yesterday and got it working but it isn’t very good. First I updated Android Auto on my phone. After plugging the unit in you get a choice on the PCM something like ‘Are you linking iPod or Apply Carplay’ if you go Apple CarPlay then you need to link your phone. You have to unlink your phone from the PCM and link the the Carlink. You can get Google maps but the resolution on the map is poor and it only appears on the centre screen. The phone is controlled by the centre screen only as well. I don’t think I could recommend this. I am trying to send it back but eBay seller has yet to respond. Ho hum....

LemonTart said: This arrived this week, I spent 30mins getting increasingly frustrated with it one evening then put it back in the box. Had another go yesterday and got it working but it isn’t very good. First I updated Android Auto on my phone. After plugging the unit in you get a choice on the PCM something like ‘Are you linking iPod or Apply Carplay’ if you go Apple CarPlay then you need to link your phone. You have to unlink your phone from the PCM and link the the Carlink. You can get Google maps but the resolution on the map is poor and it only appears on the centre screen. The phone is controlled by the centre screen only as well. I don’t think I could recommend this. I am trying to send it back but eBay seller has yet to respond. Ho hum.... The iPod/Carplay choice is not really a big deal, is it - just a single button press while you start the car, in my experience? There might be a setting somewhere that defaults to the last environment? I have not had to un-link my phone from the normal PCM BT connection, once the initial set-up has been performed. I can choose between the Carplay/Android Auto environment at any time, via PCM/AA icons. In AA the map graphics are fine for me, though I did read somewhere about poor graphics in the Carplay environment, which is a Carplay issue. I can definitely get split screen operation - map taking the main area plus media/phone in the minor (25%) area. My steering wheel "pick-up/end-call" buttons do work and I can scroll through phone calls/contacts using the scroll button on the wheel, intitaitng a call that way, too. Is your phone up to date? I fitted a similar (though rather more complex) AA solution in my M3, and it was incredibly frustrating until I got a new phone last October, since then completely seamless. YMMV...as they say...;-)

mabosh said: Tony B2 said: Well, I received this in no time at all (good service from NMAutomotive). It connects really quickly and easily and it is great to have Waze and Amigo available on the car's screen along with speed camera (and other warnings). 2 problems however whilst in Android Auto mode:- - it fails to access any of my contact information so I have to enter phone numbers manually - the steering wheel "pick-up"/"end call" buttons do not respond, so I have to use the main touch screen for these actions. It is very useful to have the power through capability to keep my phone topped up. All in all, a very neat and useful product and should not impinge on the warranty (unlike the equivalent box from other sources, for BMWs) Just popped out to try this as I'm one of the posters above who has also bought this device. I've no issue with Contacts, I can see them in the "phone" screen, on a menu along the top for "Favourites" then "History" then "Contacts". Is it a permission issue somewhere? Do you maybe still have the "old" Bluetooth connection in place? I had to delete this during the set-up process to get AA to sync properly. I The "End call" button on the wheel works fine. The "Pick-up" button works as well I think for an incoming call. If I press it when there's no incoming call it takes me to the phone screen I mentioned above. I then need to use the button on the PCM itself to scroll down the Contact list. It's the same for Bluetooth only though. I find the voice control works pretty well. Yes....I must remember not to post before sufficient caffeine has been consumed...;-) I do still have the "old" BT connection in place. To clarify - whilst in AC/AA environment, selecting from the contact list does need the (right) PCM button to be rotated and then pressed, not the steering wheel button (which needs the "old" BT connection). But this is at least much better than having to stab a finger at the screen whilst driving! The same applies to selecting a previous destination in Waze/Amigo etc. The screen can most definitely be split between the map and media. 75% map, with the 25% area capable of showing 2 sources. And - usefully, it is possible to listen to DAB/FM radio whilst using AC/AA for maps and speed cameras. And finally - the message providing the initial choice between "iPod" and "Apple Carplay" when starting up, also offers the "do not display this message" option.

LemonTart said: This arrived this week, I spent 30mins getting increasingly frustrated with it one evening then put it back in the box. Had another go yesterday and got it working but it isn’t very good. First I updated Android Auto on my phone. After plugging the unit in you get a choice on the PCM something like ‘Are you linking iPod or Apply Carplay’ if you go Apple CarPlay then you need to link your phone. You have to unlink your phone from the PCM and link the the Carlink. You can get Google maps but the resolution on the map is poor and it only appears on the centre screen. The phone is controlled by the centre screen only as well. I don’t think I could recommend this. I am trying to send it back but eBay seller has yet to respond. Ho hum.... Sounds very much like the issues I had with the Carlinkit off EB, although you seem to have managed to get further than I did before it went in the bin. Whereas the NMAUTOMOTIVE one I bought worked straight out of the box and I am very happy with it. In regard to resolution are you using PCM4 or 5 as I had a message from NMAUTOMOTIVE that there can be some problems with resolution but they can solve this. Edited by JurassicGTS on Monday 24th April 19:37

I bought the £50 USB unit from eBay and returned it as could not get it to connect or show anything on the screen. Then I found VAG Yorkshire who came out and "updated" the head unit so now just works like an OEM solution. Bargain at £100 and done on my driveway!! Now have Waze and loads of other stuff.

Android auto? Or Airplay?

PetrolHeadPete said: Android auto? Or Airplay? Android Auto - quite happy to plug my phone in and put it in the glove box as gets charged and I can't touch it! I just wanted Waze so works for me.

CarbonV12V said: I bought the £50 USB unit from eBay and returned it as could not get it to connect or show anything on the screen. Then I found VAG Yorkshire who came out and "updated" the head unit so now just works like an OEM solution. Bargain at £100 and done on my driveway!! Now have Waze and loads of other stuff. Out of interest do you get Alexa on your AA screen? Mine through NMAUTOMOTIVE mirrors the phone and Android Auto works perfectly. Waze is great as is everything else, with the exception the Alexa app, this doesn't come up.

JurassicGTS said: Out of interest do you get Alexa on your AA screen? Mine through NMAUTOMOTIVE mirrors the phone and Android Auto works perfectly. Waze is great as is everything else, with the exception the Alexa app, this doesn't come up. Haven't tried but I don't believe so - can you not use Google Assistant to launch Alexa? Will have a play around when I get chance to see what else I can add.

I have a MY23 BGTS. PCM4.0 I assume? Looks like there are quite a few companies out there charging to apply this (fair enough)... https://github.com/jilleb/mib2-toolbox

PetrolHeadPete said: I have a MY23 BGTS. PCM4.0 I assume? Looks like there are quite a few companies out there charging to apply this (fair enough)... https://github.com/jilleb/mib2-toolbox Yes. PCM4.0. Mine was only delivered new this month so they had to update the patch files but all worked fine. I did a quick search and found many companies offering the same service but most were remote. Called the one that was local (VAG Yorkshire) and he said he would come to me and sort it. Really pleased with the service and only paid once I saw it all working with my phone. Great value at £100 as now fully integrated into the PCM.

Is there any risk with warranties on a new car with this "software hack"?

JurassicGTS said: Is there any risk with warranties on a new car with this "software hack"? I am sure like driving the car there is always a risk but only related to the PCM and not aware of any PCM related issues - I would rather have the additional functionality now than worry about a potential risk that is unlikely to happen but everyone has a different risk profile. It was explained that the PCM software I had was the latest version so unlikely that it would get checked or updated during any service or warranty work. Not sure how true but it was also explained that the PCM hardware is used in many many different vehicles so this approach is a proven option for the few manufacturers that restrict the functionality. Given the number of suppliers offering the software update across many vehicle platforms there is clearly a demand and no apparent issues.

I got one of those carlinkit 4.0 from amazon and AA worked easily when plugged into the USB in the armrest. Tried using the usb in the glove compartment but it didnt work though. £75 all in so cannot complain. Would have been £750 from Porsche MD (its a £2k option on the Fezz488) Edited by jay2000 on Friday 28th April 14:06

jay2000 said: I got one of those carlinkit 4.0 from amazon and AA worked easily when plugged into the USB in the armrest. Tried using the usb in the glove compartment but it didnt work though. £75 all in so cannot complain. Would have been £750 from Porsche MD (its a £2k option on the Fezz488) Edited by jay2000 on Friday 28th April 14:06 Mine is the same. It works seamlessly in the armrest but the glove compartment USB socket isn't configured for AA. Only slight issue I have is trying to go back to select a non AA function like say a a radio station it keeps reverting back to the AA map, I have to keep pressing the media button and it eventually let's me. Haven't tried phone calls yet and it always uses the phone sim for the data rather than the inserted sim in the car.

JurassicGTS said: Mine is the same. It works seamlessly in the armrest but the glove compartment USB socket isn't configured for AA. Only slight issue I have is trying to go back to select a non AA function like say a a radio station it keeps reverting back to the AA map, I have to keep pressing the media button and it eventually let's me. Haven't tried phone calls yet and it always uses the phone sim for the data rather than the inserted sim in the car. Can you not select the "Porsche" icon in the AA main screen, to revert to the normal PCM view? This works for me.

Tony B2 said: Can you not select the "Porsche" icon in the AA main screen, to revert to the normal PCM view? This works for me. Will give it a go.

LemonTart said: LemonTart said: An interesting topic, thanks for everyone sharing their experiences. I have just bought a Carlink 4.0 from ebay so will let people know how easy it is to set up and how well it works in a week or two. This arrived this week, I spent 30mins getting increasingly frustrated with it one evening then put it back in the box. Had another go yesterday and got it working but it isn’t very good. First I updated Android Auto on my phone. After plugging the unit in you get a choice on the PCM something like ‘Are you linking iPod or Apply Carplay’ if you go Apple CarPlay then you need to link your phone. You have to unlink your phone from the PCM and link the the Carlink. You can get Google maps but the resolution on the map is poor and it only appears on the centre screen. The phone is controlled by the centre screen only as well. I don’t think I could recommend this. I am trying to send it back but eBay seller has yet to respond. Ho hum.... Well I sent the Ebay £50 one back, should get a £40 refund after postage etc and ordered the NM Automtive one for £119 delivered. Just received it and got it out the box. Spot the difference? Ebay first photo NM second photo. I am trying to laugh it off..

LemonTart said: Well I sent the Ebay £50 one back, should get a £40 refund after postage etc and ordered the NM Automtive one for £119 delivered. Just received it and got it out the box. Spot the difference? Ebay first photo NM second photo. I am trying to laugh it off.. So does it work or not? Quite a few of us have bought from NM Automotive and they've all worked, I think. I suspect there may be subtle differences in the firmware of the dongle that's specific to allow it to work with the Porsche set-up.

I had trouble at first but when i used a different connecting lead between the doggle and car's USB port in the arm rest it went green and I could link to it on my phone. It also works much better so the internal gubbins must be different. My phone links automatically after a few seconds. I have been using Waze for nav and that doesn't show in the right circular screen in the dash, but thats not a big deal and everything else seems to work as expected.

LemonTart said: I had trouble at first but when i used a different connecting lead between the doggle and car's USB port in the arm rest it went green and I could link to it on my phone. It also works much better so the internal gubbins must be different. My phone links automatically after a few seconds. I have been using Waze for nav and that doesn't show in the right circular screen in the dash, but thats not a big deal and everything else seems to work as expected. Result! Couldn't do without mine now.

Can anyone recommend an eBay or Amazon seller of the Carlinkit 4.0 as there are some huge differences in price. I’ve been using wired Apple CarPlay for years on my last two 718 and want rid of the wires!

Blink982 said: Can anyone recommend an eBay or Amazon seller of the Carlinkit 4.0 as there are some huge differences in price. I’ve been using wired Apple CarPlay for years on my last two 718 and want rid of the wires! I bought IOS version of this recently and works a treat. 30% off too at the moment so £60 delivered, takes about a week door-to-door: https://www.ottocast.com/products/android-auto-wir...

Blink982 said: Can anyone recommend an eBay or Amazon seller of the Carlinkit 4.0 as there are some huge differences in price. I’ve been using wired Apple CarPlay for years on my last two 718 and want rid of the wires! I bought the latest Carlinkit 5.0 from aliexpress and it’s working fine although I’ve had one journey where it didn’t connect automatically. Wired CarPlay wasn’t exactly faultless either though.

I've just enabled this today on a 2021 Cayman by flashing the PCM with the latest firmware which automatically enabled Android Auto. I suspect this is what a previous poster paid £100 to complete. The biggest challenge was downloading the firmware which has download speeds that the 1990's would be disappointed with. The only thing I had to purchase was a full size SD card and a reader to connect it to my PC. Then its just a case of copying the files to the SD card and then sticking it in the car. Process takes around 15 mins and is slightly hairy as a loss of power during the update would have almost certainly bricked the PCM.

Yorkshire VAG (via their man in Paisley) did mine too. Recommended. Sometimes it's worth the money to let a professional do these things, although the DIY does sound pretty simple.

moonigan said: The biggest challenge was downloading the firmware Where did you download from?

PetrolHeadPete said: Where did you download from? Downloads here https://mibsolution.one/ More info here https://github.com/Mr-MIBonk/M.I.B._More-Incredibl... I’ll put the version I used somewhere more accessible. All you need to do then is copy it to a FAT32 full size SD card. I didn’t bother with the updated grace note database or the most recent maps because all I wanted was Android Auto.

That would be great! Looks like the downloads link needs a pwd and links from the main MIB page dont work... Edited by PetrolHeadPete on Wednesday 20th March 09:18

PetrolHeadPete said: That would be great! Looks like the downloads link needs a pwd and links from the main MIB page dont work... Edited by PetrolHeadPete on Wednesday 20th March 09:18 This should work on any PCM 4.0 car pre 23 that doesn't already have Android Auto Download - Expires in a week. https://1drv.ms/u/s!AlOmQTM2WFSyk9V53cEBGzfJL4Im1Q... This is the AIO update and these are the instructions for running the update: https://github.com/harman-f/MHI2_MIB2_AIO_FW_Updat... You need to use 7z to extract the files then simply copy the contents of the folder to the root of the SD card (needs to be a full size card not a micro in an adapter) Turn on the ignition and let the system full initialise Put the SD card into slot 1 (closest to passenger seat) and after a few seconds the screen will go blank. There are no gracenote updates in the download so it will generate an error when it gets to this part. Just click through and it will continue. The last part it runs a final script. On my car it sat at 0% for what felt like an eternity and then completed without counting up to 100%. I think Android Auto only works wired in the central console. Good luck!

many thanks!

moonigan said: This should work on any PCM 4.0 car pre 23 that doesn't already have Android Auto Download - Expires in a week. https://1drv.ms/u/s!AlOmQTM2WFSyk9V53cEBGzfJL4Im1Q... This is the AIO update and these are the instructions for running the update: https://github.com/harman-f/MHI2_MIB2_AIO_FW_Updat... You need to use 7z to extract the files then simply copy the contents of the folder to the root of the SD card (needs to be a full size card not a micro in an adapter) Turn on the ignition and let the system full initialise Put the SD card into slot 1 (closest to passenger seat) and after a few seconds the screen will go blank. There are no gracenote updates in the download so it will generate an error when it gets to this part. Just click through and it will continue. The last part it runs a final script. On my car it sat at 0% for what felt like an eternity and then completed without counting up to 100%. I think Android Auto only works wired in the central console. Good luck! Does this show a dedicated button for Android Auto, or is it overlaid on top of an existing button like this?

jeebsy said: Does this show a dedicated button for Android Auto, or is it overlaid on top of an existing button like this? That issue is fixed in this version. Its a dedicated button.

Any other updates/changes within the same file? Did you mention something on Maps?

Tony B2 said: Any other updates/changes within the same file? Did you mention something on Maps? Map are updated separately by downloading the maps onto an SD card and then updating from within PCM. I'm not bothered about updated maps as I will use Android Auto all the time.

* WARNING NUMPTY ALERT *** I have a 718 GT4 '21 plate. Will either the Carlink5 or the NM Automotive work with my car. Not sure what PCM is on it or if it is Android Auto compatible, which is what I want to use with it. All I know is I can answer my phone via the pcm! Any info/help will be gratefully received. C

I have the carlink5 on my 718GT4 and it works well but just got to watch the power drain on the phone.

jay2000 said: I have the carlink5 on my 718GT4 and it works well but just got to watch the power drain on the phone. So I guess the phone gets pretty hot. I'm going to wait til Prime day to make up my mind.

chris.t said: *** WARNING NUMPTY ALERT *** I have a 718 GT4 '21 plate. Will either the Carlink5 or the NM Automotive work with my car. Not sure what PCM is on it or if it is Android Auto compatible, which is what I want to use with it. All I know is I can answer my phone via the pcm! Any info/help will be gratefully received. C plug your phone into the usb in the armrest and if android auto starts up, you've got that much at least. if not you'll need it activated. first time you might need to unlock your phone to begin using AA. i've been using an AAWireless box for several years (in a couple of Audis and now my Cayman) and it works great.

jeebsy said: chris.t said: *** WARNING NUMPTY ALERT *** I have a 718 GT4 '21 plate. Will either the Carlink5 or the NM Automotive work with my car. Not sure what PCM is on it or if it is Android Auto compatible, which is what I want to use with it. All I know is I can answer my phone via the pcm! Any info/help will be gratefully received. C plug your phone into the usb in the armrest and if android auto starts up, you've got that much at least. if not you'll need it activated. first time you might need to unlock your phone to begin using AA. i've been using an AAWireless box for several years (in a couple of Audis and now my Cayman) and it works great. Just plugged the phone in as you suggested, and nothing happened. Car on, phone on, and nothing. So will getting the Carlink dongle allow me to use my android phone with my car's PCM without any mods being done to the car? Thank you for your patience👍

the dongles only enable android auto to run wirelessly if the head unit (to speak in old money) supports android auto already. if android auto isn't enabled on your car then using a dongle won't do anything. when you say nothing happened, a button didn't appear on the home screen for android auto? did you phone get a notification to allow android auto? if not, you'd need someone to update your PCM (or DIY) to enable android auto.

jeebsy said: the dongles only enable android auto to run wirelessly if the head unit (to speak in old money) supports android auto already. if android auto isn't enabled on your car then using a dongle won't do anything. when you say nothing happened, a button didn't appear on the home screen for android auto? did you phone get a notification to allow android auto? if not, you'd need someone to update your PCM (or DIY) to enable android auto. This is not quite correct. No 718s have AA enabled or usable straight from the factory but the PCM is capable of running it either via a dongle or coding/updating the PCM. The dongles mentioned above will provide wireless AA as long as the car was built with wired Apple CarPlay (2017 model year onwards I think). You only need the dongle, no other kit or DIY work. I have the NM Automotive dongle in my 2022 Cayman GTS. It essentially tricks the PCM into running AA wirelessly via the CarPlay icon on the PCM. It works very well and usually fires up quicker than AA in our Cupra Born.

Fair enough, I didn't know some of the dongles could do that. AAWireless (which I use) doesn't have that functionality and needs AA in the car already to run. Sounds like one of those will meet the other poster's needs.

Thanks for your help with this, it is much appreciated. I've just plugged my phone into the armrest usb and connected to the car's wifi. See the attached photos. https://photos.app.goo.gl/WwGvopQaz2PmotUb7 What I'm going to do is get Amazon to send me the Carlinkit5. If it doesn't work, I'll send it back. I had to pop into Cridfords (independent in Exhurst) yesterday. They have retrofitted AA to PCMs. Their quote for doing the work came to just shy of £1k! Edited by chris.t on Friday 12th July 08:59

chris.t said: Thanks for your help with this, it is much appreciated. I've just plugged my phone into the armrest usb and connected to the car's wifi. See the attached photos. https://photos.app.goo.gl/WwGvopQaz2PmotUb7 What I'm going to do is get Amazon to send me the Carlinkit5. If it doesn't work, I'll send it back. I had to pop into Cridfords (independent in Exhurst) yesterday. They have retrofitted AA to PCMs. Their quote for doing the work came to just shy of £1k! Edited by chris.t on Friday 12th July 08:59 I hope it works, I'm not 100% certain it will as this text is included in the product description: "If your car is only equipped with wired CarPlay, then CarlinKit 5.0 cannot bring Android Auto to your car. 2. Similarly, if your car is only equipped with wired Android Auto, then CarlinKit 5.0 cannot bring CarPlay to your car either." If you go back a page in this thread and look at the posts from me and Lemon Tart you will see he had issues with it and eventually ordered the NM Automotive instead (which I've had since the start). The NM Automotive dongle is more expensive, no getting away from that, but it works. I think it is designed/coded specifically for the older Porsche PCM versions while the Carlinkit dongle is a generic one for any vehicle with wired CarPlay OR wired AA (which your 718 does not have). Here's a link to the NM Automotive shop. https://www.nmautomotive.co.uk/product-page/pcm-4-... There is an interesting thread in the 718 Forum site about this here: https://www.718forum.com/threads/wireless-android-... Good luck, it's a bit of a minefield. Edited by mabosh on Friday 12th July 09:43 Edited by mabosh on Friday 12th July 09:50

chris.t said: Thanks for your help with this, it is much appreciated. I've just plugged my phone into the armrest usb and connected to the car's wifi. See the attached photos. https://photos.app.goo.gl/WwGvopQaz2PmotUb7 What I'm going to do is get Amazon to send me the Carlinkit5. If it doesn't work, I'll send it back. I had to pop into Cridfords (independent in Exhurst) yesterday. They have retrofitted AA to PCMs. Their quote for doing the work came to just shy of £1k! Edited by chris.t on Friday 12th July 08:59 1k seems steep - some older PCMs need a new board installed in the unit to make them carplay/AA compatible - i wonder if they are quoting for this. for the pcm in our cars it's just a software update done by sticking an SD card in the PCM - i got mine done by these guys https://northeastvagadaptions.co.uk/ and it cost a fraction of what you've been quoted. they have a few guys dotted over the country too so hopefully there will be someone local to you.

I am still using the NMA box, generally successfully. However there are a couple of small issues/bugs, so I am wondering if there are any software updates (to the dongle) which might address them? 2021 718 Spyder. Android phone (Samsung S22 Ultra). 1. Altering call volume via the MF steering wheel button does not work (I have to use the PCM volume control knob) 2. Picking up/ending calls via the relevant steering wheel buttons - also not working. 2 might seem minor, but using the PCM touch screen controls to pick up/end calls is an unsafe pain as the soft buttons are way too small to use safely while driving. And a hardware aggravation - plugging my phone into the dongle output port is very sketchy, and I frequently end up with a discharged phone due to the poor connection