Many car manufacturers have come up with their own version of built-in navigation systems and needless to say all of them are obsolete. All of the built-in HUD in most modern cars perform well below a cheap android tablet. To verify that, just try to zoom in your map in a built-in HUD, you can see a delay in the loading of maps. If it was on a phone, we would restart the phone or close other apps. But if it’s a built-in unit we will just live with it thinking that “Yes that’s how it is”. When it comes to navigation, no other system can match Google Maps and its features. You cant even expect the kind of updates you get on Google Maps on a built-in device in a car. The same is the case with the GPS units which we can buy. It is a big business and is now under a threat of losing their entire reason of existence. Not everyone hates in-car navigation systems, the older generation still prefers it integrated to their cars. This is good business, so it will continue as long as there is demand for it.

New Generation devices

You might be thinking that’s why Apple Car Play & Android Auto came into existance, but the auto manufacturers are keeping a one arm distance from it. Apart from some rare exceptions like Hyundai — which is offering a CarPlay- and Android Auto-only dash option — car companies are still trying to own the experience. The car companies don’t get the fact that they’re not consumer electronics companies, and they’re not generally good at it. Still, why would you want to lay hands on it and give a below average experience to the consumers?

Alternatives for common man

As a common man, what are our choices? Suppose you own a car from 2012 or older than that, the dashboard comes with a music player, AC vents and basic controls. How would you join the league of latest technoligy and how can you make use of navigation systems? The simple answer is phones and tablets. However, phones seems to be a temporary solution, but if we could make use of tablets in a proper way, I would say, it performs well above any most modern navigation devices and it can even replace reverse cam, music system and can show car diagnostics as well.

I drive a Suzuki SX4 – 2009 model and this is how I joined the league.

I have a Dell Venue tablet which I put into use as a Navigation device, reverse cam, and Car diagnostics tool. I am not getting into much technical details here, but I will show you an overview of how it is done. I will be soon coming up with a step by step article on how to install tablets in cars.

  • I do not want any wires blocking my space in the car, so all the wirings are either concealed or have chosen wireless options.
  • The tablets backside it attached with 2 metal plates and on the dashboard, I have attached 2 neodymium magnets which will hold the tablet rigid.
  • The charging cable is drawn from the backside of lighter socket directly soldered to it and the wire is concealed within the dash.
  • The reverse camera is connected wirelessly to the tablet which will switch on only when the reverse gear is engaged.
  • A Bluetooth Car Code Reader Compatible with Android is attached to the OBD2 port which would give the car statistics.
  • Using CARDROID launcher, all the features can be put into one screen easier for the driver to access in one touch.
  • Did not integrate the music system as well, as SX4 music system was above average.

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