After several years of using Command (on two different C63s), I ordered my new car with Car Play instead...I think I am excited for the change (given how much better my phone is than the Command system), but I would love real-world feedback. Thanks in advance.

 

It's pretty useful now that it supports Google Maps and Waze and works well. At least Google Maps. Waze is still a bit buggy to the point where I uninstalled it as it caused my phone battery to drain all of a sudden. They seemed to have rushed it out and broke a few things in the process. I'm sure it will get fixed eventually, but I never really warmed up to Waze anyway. I still ordered the full multimedia package. The COMAND system is the latest 5.5 version from the E-Class now, and its a requirement for some other functions such as the driving assist package and digital instrument cluster. Here in the USA, we don't have the choice of three different Infotainment packages. Android Auto and CarPlay is standard and then we have the option to add the full High-End Infotainment system.

I tend to go between Google Maps on Car Play and the built-in navigation system depending on the situation and where I'm driving to. The benefit of in-car systems is that they are still fully functional even w/o cell coverage. Many of my road trips take me to areas with no cell reception. Yes, you can download offline areas with Google Maps, but the size of the areas is limited, so you really have to plan ahead where you gonna be driving. I would say my biggest complaint is that neither Google Maps, nor Waze is integrated with Siri, so you can't just issue a command to Siri for directions. If you do that, it will start Apple Maps. Both Google Maps and Waze use their own voice system, so you first have to launch the app, before you can speak a destination. I do like that with COMAND and similar systems you can just issue a navigation command for an address or a place and it automatically does an online search and you are on your way pretty quickly or you can send a destination from your phone to it. I tend to use Google Maps and CarPlay if I'm looking up directions while walking up to the car and start navigation before plugging in the phone. That's fairly convenient. But for longer planned trips, I prefer sending the destination to the car's system from my phone and then just pull them up. I wish BMW wasn't the only one supporting CarPlay over Bluetooth. Having to plug in the phone before you can use CarPlay is a bit of an inconvenience especially if you have a change of plans and all the sudden need navigation directions while driving and didn't plug in the phone already. That's another area where COMAND is more convenient. It's always ready and available and you can keep up the map with traffic just to see what's going on in your area. Since there is wireless charging now, having to physically connect the phone for CarPlay really kinda sucks and detracts from the usefulness.

 

That is awesome, thank you. I now know I need to read a bit more.

 

 

Hi this is my first post, and my first MB. I just purchased a 2018 C63s sedan, and love the way it drives. I don't know if this is the right thread to post this, but it is about the only post that mentioned Apple Car play. I am a bit pissed off that my new C63 doesn't have Apple Car Play, I didn't even think to ask before I bought it, if it had Car Play. I just assumed a 2017 or newer car this expensive or with a optional $2200 navigation system would automatically come with Apple car play.

I love the way the car drives, but hope MB will come out with a software update that those of us with the command system can add apple car play down the road. If not maybe there will be a aftermarket solution to add car play

So far the Navigation system is my only disappointment with the awesome driving car

 

I wouldn't get my hopes up. Apple Car Play is available for your model year, but it's mutually exclusive with the COMAND system. So, you could have either opted for CarPlay/Android Auto or the COMAND system. That was one aspect which kept me from getting a MY18. Starting with MY19, CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, and it's no longer in conflict with the updated COMAND system. Now one can get both.

 

I have a 2019 and I use Android Auto.
I also have the options for car play and command. When I try and use command it just says no phone authorized.
i looked on the play store and the apple app store and cant download a “command” app.
what am I missing here?

 

I'm not sure what exactly you are doing. COMAND is the name of MB's Infotainment system. It's what you get if you opted for the Multimedia package. Prior to MY19, you could only option the car with either the Smartphone interface (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) or the Multimedia package (COMAND), but not both. Now with the MY19 you get the Smartphone interface standard and you can optionally add the Multimedia package.

 

I have the multimedia package, not sure if that matters. In the Connections menu on the main screen I have the options for Command, Carplay, and Android Auto.
i’ve tried a quick test of carplay on my old iphone and it works, I currently use Android Auto on my Pixel 3, but when I go to the command option it says no authorized devices. After reading quite a bit theres some references to an app store “command” app, but it looks like it was pulled from the App store.
same thing as the track pace app.

 

Not sure what Command is in this context, and I can't find anything in the owner's manual, however, there's something called Mercedes-Benz Link. It's a box that needs to be connected to the USB port and then transfers certain mobile phone apps to the media display. I'm not sure what phones this is for, and I can't find any information on the Mercedes-Benz Link control box. It only says it can be obtained at an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. There are only three technologies currently for projecting a mobile phone to a car's Infotainment system. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink. The latter hasn't really taken off, but Command/MB Link might be about MirrorLink.