peet

Hi all - haven't posted here in forever, but just got a 2018 GLC that has carplay. Now that Apple has released IOS 12, one can finally load other map apps - which I immediately did.

I also just noticed, though have never seen anyone mention this, while in carplay mode, the buttons on the dash (tel, nav, media) change apps! You don't have to use the knob to switch between them. Just hit media, and you'll go to "now playing"... hit nav and Apple Maps opens.

So here is the question - anyone have any ideas on how to re-map these? Since I loaded Google Maps, I want nav to open Google Maps, not Apple's maps. I was driving and Google was navigating me to my destination, I switched to media to change tracks, hit Nav button and it opened Apple Maps... now there were two map apps running, one in active nav mode, the other just sitting there looking goofy.

Googling for this is pointless. The terms are too generic, so I am hoping someone has an idea of "hold this for x seconds" or click this and this and this and you can change things. I suspect we cannot, but it's worth asking.

CasemLuke

I'm so completely jealous that you have CarPlay. My low-end brand rental cars usually always have it installed (Nissan, Chevy, Ford) and when I use it, I curse my 2017 for not having it!! I can't help you with your problem, however.

DDGator

This is a good question. I love using the buttons, and Apple Maps has made sense...up until now. I would like to be able to point the Nav button to Waze as soon as the update is out.

By the way, I did not opt for the Command system and I don't miss it! CarPlay has worked quite well for me.

Chrisk03

I'm going to take a wild guess and bet you cant change that without re-coding. Apple probably made MB lock it down. Then again, see if you can borrow someone's Android phone to see how pressing the Navi buttons works...Google or Waze. I realize I just contradicted myself. Ha.

Your lucky, I opted for COMAND and other than the larger screen, it sucks. Damn u MB for not allowing both.

peet

I just got the GLC a week ago. As soon as I saw that carplay meant no Comand, I insisted no Comand when shopping for cars. Which made it really hard as the buyers who buy spec cars for dealers seem to be clueless. A car with no Comand typically has halogen headlights and some oddball chrome trim and that's it. Took a while to find the right one and I gave up on finding one with the parking package (which I wanted for 360 cameras).

Biggest oddball I found during my hunt... upgraded leather interior, black ash dash but gloss brown doors, no sunroof, halogen headlights, parking package, phone prep, AMG wheels and chrome bits and bobbles. What???

I feel for you who got Comand - I hope Benz makes good on this for you guys. I came from a GLA as my last car (far cry from the c63 I used to have) and had the Audio 20 screen which had the resolution of a Nokia gen 1 phone LOL. My wife had a GLA with Comand and the nicer screen. Night and day difference. So I was super nervous going with the non Comand this time. But my fears were unfounded. While it's slightly smaller, it's at least the same high res quality. So Carplay looks fantastic. Using it - not such a great experience with the knob... it was designed for touch screens pretty obviously after using it.

On topic of coding, can someone point me to the latest and greatest on coding? I was super involved in this back in the day, with a ton of experience coding BMWs. I toyed with Benz for a bit, but not enough to even remember what tools are out there.

stath

I love the Google maps with my carplay in my 2018 GLC. You have to update the ios12 and also the Google maps app. Then it shows as a new app on your media menu.
I too would like to add it in a quick access button to google maps, like the favorites button. I will research this and report.

peet

And as of yesterday, Waze is live too! WOOT.

Scoho

I am wondering whether hitting the back button would work. I don't have access to my car right now, but I am thinking that might work? Not an elegant solution but maybe it works?

peet

Sorry no. Back button doesn't work at switching apps, it takes you back a step in whatever app you are in. For example, if I'm listening to pod cast via Overcast app and want to go back to Waze. I hit back, and Overcast takes me from now playing to main screen, not to Waze. If I'm in Waze, I hit media and it takes me to Overcast though - as that is what is currently "playing" so at least that works. But no easy way to return to non-Apple maps for now unless someone can figure that bit out.

Scoho

Thanks Peet. That's a bummer and definitely makes using other apps a bit clunky.

Chrisk03

Probably won't work, but if you are in Overcast, can you hit "Navi" to take you back to Waze? I unfortunately have COMAND, so just throwing a suggestion out there.

MBCA

I wish there was a way to use CarPlay over Bluetooth. I find it annoying to keep plugging and unplugging in my phone when I'm running errands. Still glad I didn't get COMMAND tho.

peet

Chrisk03 - tried that and that's the core issue, in fact. Hitting Navi takes you to Apple Maps no matter what. So if you are mid-navigation in Google Maps or Waze and hit Navi, it just opens Apple Maps no matter what - which of course is just sitting there, not navigating.

As to wireless CarPlay - I honestly thought I'd be upset that we cannot do that, but the reality is that this way you keep getting a charge. Even when I streamed via Bluetooth in my GLA, I was always on a charger, so the plug is minimal hassle. Once I got an iPhone X I switched mounts to the Pitaka Qi charger so no plug - just drop it on the holder and it charged. But that car didn't have CarPlay plus Qi is much slower than cabled charging. So far the only great implementation I've seen is in the BMW X2 where their center console has a Qi charger AND wireless CarPlay. So you drop your phone in and go. That and they have 10 memory buttons that can do anything. You can do a preset for Max AC and assign it to one, Switch to CarPlay and open Waze to 2, assign a radio station to 3 and so on. Great implementation. But that's neither here nor there.

Sth1971

Wanted to resurface this to see if a solution was ever found.Hoping there's a hack as navigating back to G-Maps is inefficient and potentially dangerous. Thanks!

peet

I ended up getting this...
It sort of works. Takes a moment to wake up - since it runs off a button battery, it turns itself off after a bit of not being used. But at least you can skip around media with this and play/pause.

Sth1971

Thanks.
Was hoping the was a solution to using google maps through carplay, and using the navigation button on the dash to access it (instead of apple maps) back from radio, phone, media, etc.
Assuming this is hardcoded by apple, but would love to find a direct way to access google maps.

mrmotoguzzi00

carplay is my next project... the 2018 gle63s has it, but have not even started to look into it... had to fiddle with garage openers first, 1 door good the other for the life o me i can't get to code... lol

peet

Sorry to say, there is no way to jump to an app with any hard button. It's swipe all over the darned place and hope you end up in the right spot. Frankly it's a class action lawsuit waiting to happen. This is designed to be a touch-based system but by applying the nav roller wheel makes it a distraction nightmare. My Wife's BMW X2 is both - I tend to fall back to the wheel, then once in a while remember i can touch too- which makes me go ahhhhh, that felt right.

peet

I should add there is one more fix - it's much more to do - install one of the 10.25" android-based screen replacements. it's touch-screen and probably does what you want. I am just fresh out of $500 to buy one.