Thankful for Car Mode

Thankful for Car Mode

Hello Kahtaf. Good to see the community up and running after the demise of Google+.
You may remember me as one of your contributors that wished AutoMate was MirrorLink compatible. I was happy to read from this forum to discover that AutoMate is Car Mode compatible.

Last week, I created a solution for myself so that I would not have to buy yet another DoubleDIN Touchscreen Car Receiver. I got the idea from xda developers, and their efforts to make Android Auto wirelessly accessible to those whose car receivers are incapable.

My problem I was facing is that I cannot use MirrorLink with my new phone, a Sony Xperia XZ2. My previous phone, a Sony Xperia ZL is MirrorLink compatible, so my solution consists of using both my new phone and my old one, connected to my Car Receiver, a Sony XAV-712HD, in different ways.

First thing I did to my ZL is I uninstalled any useless apps, and disabled any Google/Sony bloatware. Then I connect my ZL to my Car Receiver via USB in order to connect to the receiver using MirrorLink. Usually, when I connect these two devices, Google Maps starts. I had no idea that Android Auto was MirrorLink compatible. When I connected the two, and started Android Auto, a popup appeared asking if I wanna "Enable this app in Car Mode".

I then created a wireless hotspot on my XZ2, and connected my ZL to the XZ2 wirelessly. This is how the ZL gets connected to the internet for Android Auto or Google Maps to get data.

Also, I have Bluetooth on the ZL turned off, but on the XZ2, Bluetooth is turned on and connected to the Car Receiver. This way, Phone Calls, Contacts, and Recent Calls are handled by the Car Receiver and XZ2.

In this configuration, the Car Receiver mic takes commands from either phone.

The only drawback is that I have to watch what I say, when I say it, and what mic button I press.

If I press the mic button on my Car Receiver, I can initiate phone calls and other phone functions, and the XZ2/Car Receiver will handle it. However, if I press the mic button on the Car Receiver in order to try to use Google Assistant, the XZ2 will take those commands, and they won't be displayed on the Car Receiver touchscreen, but rather on the XZ2, which I usually place in the glove compartment while driving.

In order to do any Google Assistant/Voice Command functions that I wish to appear on the Car Receiver touchscreen, I must touch a mic icon on the Car Receiver touchscreen in Google Maps/Android Auto, while my ZL is connected via MirrorLink.

Now that I am aware the AutoMate is Car Mode compatible, when I get home from work, I'm gonna try AutoMate this way. I hope I get the same "Enable this app in Car Mode" message in AutoMate that I did with Android Auto.

I'll post an update on the results...

Thanks Kahtaf!