Not having a car compatible with Apple CarPlay is the most normal thing in the world. There are more and more compatible vehicles, even if you have a basic model or one a few years old, you will not have this system which allows have an on-board interface based on iPhone. However, if you have an iPad, there is a solution.
With the Apple tablet you can get something similar to CarPlay. An iPad isn’t very designed for the car, but it can be even more beneficial than regular CarPlay if used well. Personally, I now own a compatible car, but before that I used my iPad to use CarPlay. And without needing to complicate myself too much or put it at risk by jailbreaking.
iPad Size Matters
Go for it, ultimately it doesn’t matter what iPad model is. As I will explain in another section, it can be used even with an iPad that is already a bit old. If you own a 12.9-inch iPad Pro, well… You’re not going to buy a smaller one just for that. However, Ideally, it should be a small model.. It doesn’t have to be an iPad mini either. An 11 inch or less will suffice.
The idea is that find a compatible mount that fits the car well. In stores like Amazon there are several options depending on the model it is. Not as much as a cell phone, but there are some and they can fit nicely in your car.
I want to focus especially on the car, given that It should be placed in a place where you can see it and handle it well, without it causing any problems while driving.. Because not only can you get a fine if the Civil Guard considers that it interferes with your vision, but you can also have an accident.
It doesn’t matter if it’s outdated
Another point I already mentioned before is that it doesn’t matter if the iPad isn’t the newest. The idea is use an iPad that you have no other use for and this usually happens when you have an old model. There are elements that I will tell you about later, like widgets, which are interesting and which if you do not have recent versions of iPadOS you will not appreciate, but that does not matter.
Likewise, it would be interesting if you share the Internet from your mobile so that in this way it can take real-time route data when you use GPS and the apps can also be updated. There is no need for you to contract a separate internet tariff if it is an LTE model, although you will use it a lot and it will not cost very much, that is also a possibility.
How to turn an iPad into CarPlay
We come to the heart of the problem. The idea is create a sort of launcher with the essentials to use in the car. In iPadOS there are no launchers and although I have seen applications that emulate it in one way or another, they are not entirely comfortable and some are even paid.
What I did using an iPad as CarPlay was mix widgets with app icons. When it came to widgets, I liked having the weather and calendar always in view so I knew what appointments I had that day from the moment I got in the car in the morning. Likewise, also that of Apple Music, as well as that of my favorite podcast application.
Additionally, if the car manufacturer has an app that connects to the car, that’s interesting, although it’s not common, since usually every car that connects in this way already has CarPlay.
Regarding applications, I recommend not filling it with applications, but only putting the good ones.. And what is it? Well, Apple Music, Spotify or the application you use to listen to music, a podcast application, an application that groups radio stations or those of the stations themselves and, of course, the essential applications for driving like Apple Maps, Google Maps, Waze and even apps to find parking and pay.
Regarding navigation applications, I think they are the most fundamental. Being able to see directions on the big screen without having to take your eyes off the iPhone was a real advantage back when I used an iPad as my CarPlay pseudo.
What I never recommend are YouTube type apps. They can be good if you bring companions, especially children. However, they are a major distraction for those of us who drive. Because yes, we may want to concentrate a lot and not be interested in the content viewed on the iPad, but almost unconsciously we tend to turn around at some point to see it.
Another additional recommendation is to keep it charged during use to avoid running out of battery by surprise and losing GPS directions. If your car already has a USB port, great. In the case of mine I didn’t have it, so I had to resort to an adapter for the cigarette lighter.
And the best advice I can give you is to not keep your iPad in the car.
At this point, a fundamental doubt remains. When you own a car with CarPlay, it’s on a screen that’s already integrated and inseparable from the car. In the case of an iPad, this is not the case. At the risk of someone breaking a window to steal it, my recommendation here is to always have it with you. unless you have it in a private garage that no one else has access to. Even though it is a community garage, it is not recommended to leave it.
If you take it when you go to work or any other place away from home with the car parked on the street, my advice is the same. Carry it in a backpack, briefcase or purse. If it is not possible, at least try not to let him in sight by hiding it in the glove box, in the seat pockets and even under them.
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