Wireless Car Play

Anyone has experience with below
product on a 4Runner?

CarPlayKits Wireless CarPlay Adapter - Plug & Play Conversion

$70 Wireless CarPlay Adapter for Apple, Plug and Play Low Latency Mini Wilreless Carplay Adapter for iPhone Converts Wired to Wireless CarPlay Dongle for Cars from 2016 and iOS 10+ USB Type-A

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D38NP7L3

 

I haven't used this adapter, but I've worked in IT for many years, and anything that is wireless is going to be.....glitchy from time to time. If you want a stable-constant-reliable connection, use a wire.

 

I have something similar I bought off Amazon for my last car. Happy that it also works in my 4runner. Its been pretty flawless in both vehicles but it drains the crap out of the phone battery.

 

I can 100% ditto what BL said above. We have another newer vehicle (Honda Accord Hybrid) that we use as a runabout for errands, etc. It's a throw-away car designed to help us keep miles off our 2 beloved 5th Gen 4Runners. But... one thing it does have is Wireless CarPlay and it STINKS! You'll be rolling along the interstate using Waze or Apple Maps getting ready for a turn on the interstate when "voila" the CarPlay just disconnects. Happens all the time on Wirelss CarPlay. And that's with iPhone 16's. So, it's not like the phone is obsolete. The Honda is only a year old.

But, hey it looks like it's on Amazon Prime. So, try it for a week or two and if it's garbage, send it back and get a refund.

That said, for me, I'm with BL and will stay hard-wired in our Runners.

Let us know how it works.

 

I purchased this one on Amazon and it has worked flawlessly.

 

With all the radio frequencies sent between everything in the truck, it’s bound to glitch something up

-the one who shall not be named- tsk tsk SK even made a video on this. Electro magnetic interference *shakes hands violently* you can’t see it!!!111

video named 3 things to kill your car, starts @ 12:44 lol

do I put much stock into it? I just plug in with wire.

 

I'm curious how secure these devices are. Specifically ones from little known brands. What information and data can it collect and send elsewhere?

 

Thanks all for chiming in! I do love cables and old school stuff, but it gets really annoying when Im trying to pay for my coffee with apple pay. Ditto the last comment, security might be an issue, though the dongle has to be able to access the internet. Maybe it still can piggyback on the bluetooth?

 

Bluetooth is another form of wireless. In some ways, it's even less stable than WiFi. I recommend you put all the music you want to listen to on a USB drive and keep that drive plugged into the slot in the center console. That's what I do.

I never use Apple CarPlay for my apps or for Maps. I know others love it because of Waze or Spotify.

 

music is not an issue, I just suck at finding my way, it's the maps that I need. Honestly tho, haven't yet used the built in navigation, is it any good?

 

Going to look into this maybe can build my own adapter and not worry about 3rd paties spying.
Need carplay protocol docs for auto makers probably not publicly available

https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2016/722/#:~:text=For wired CarPlay, data goes,turn-by-turn metadata.

 

I've used it a lot. I even have addresses saved. Home, work, my favorite hookers house, etc...

It's good. I know there are better, fancier, snazzier options out there, but I like it. I don't need it to be super fancy, just tell me how to get to where I'm going. I have had it on and give me directions while I was on the phone (via bluetooth) or listening to music.

It was nice that it gave me audible directions. E.G. "In 300 ft, take exit 47B for....." It told me what to do. I didn't need to look at the actual screen. That's all I need. Tell me what to do and I'll do it.

 

Nice, going to give that a go in the meantime. Canceled my order for the dongle.

 

Wireless CarPlay sucks.

I don’t even use Bluetooth in my vehicles, because I’m sick of cars hijacking my conference calls.

We just use a USB cable and call it a day.

 

I got this exact one for Christmas and it works flawlessly in my 2024 4R ORP. Good for short term driving around town. On a long trip I think I’d use wired to keep the phone charged. Using IPhone 13 Pro Max with latest IOS.

 

I find this claim to be..... dubious

Bluetooth has a very limited range. If this is a regular problem for you, Bluetooth isn't your problem.

https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/definition/bluesnarfing

 

Um, it is…

I know this, because my wife would suddenly pick up my calls when in our car, and vice versa if she was in the house and I was in the car.

Didn’t last a long time, but enough to screw up calls.

 

I’ve had this exact one for a couple months. It’s been working well so far. It failed to connect maybe 2-3 times since I’ve had it but all I had to do was unplug and replug.
I always keep a cable in the center console in case I want to hardwire it whatever the reason might be but overall I love not having to manually connect my phone every single time I start the 4R