Photo: BigPoppaSLO on ToyotaOwnersClub
The software update that enables Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support on select Toyota models is finally ready, and it has reached the web on several forums.
Before checking out all details, it’s important to remind that Toyota recommends owners to upgrade their head units at authorized dealerships and to avoid doing the whole thing on their own.
First and foremost, a post on a Spanish forum reveals that the retrofit Apple CarPlay and Android Auto update is available for both the head units with navigation and those without it installed in European models.
The updating process, however, is different in each case – one method involves three different USB sticks that would first prepare the system for the update, then install the new multimedia software, and eventually enable Android Auto and CarPlay.
Up to this point, several Corolla owners have confirmed they updated their head units using the steps and the files provided on the page we linked above.
At first glance, updating the software and enabling Android Auto and CarPlay on a supported Toyota model isn’t really rocket science, albeit there are things that could go wrong.
Someone on the forums says they ended up bricking their head units and the dealership allegedly estimated the cost of the repairs at over 2,000 Euros (nearly $2,400). Others say they managed to update their head units but CarPlay and Android Auto weren’t activated for some reason.
No matter if the update is successful or not, the process can take up to 40 to 50 minutes, so make sure you give it enough time to complete should you decide to eventually try out the whole thing.
As far as the authorized Toyota dealerships are concerned, they seem to claim that the official update would become available for their clients in September or October. The new USB drives for the update have reportedly been ordered already, but it could still take a few more weeks until the new software version can be installed on the first cars.
For now, if you don’t want to take any risk and update the head unit on your own, it’s probably better to wait for your local dealership to get the new software version. At this moment, it seems we’re just a few weeks away from the point this is supposed to happen.
First and foremost, a post on a Spanish forum reveals that the retrofit Apple CarPlay and Android Auto update is available for both the head units with navigation and those without it installed in European models.
The updating process, however, is different in each case – one method involves three different USB sticks that would first prepare the system for the update, then install the new multimedia software, and eventually enable Android Auto and CarPlay.
Up to this point, several Corolla owners have confirmed they updated their head units using the steps and the files provided on the page we linked above.
At first glance, updating the software and enabling Android Auto and CarPlay on a supported Toyota model isn’t really rocket science, albeit there are things that could go wrong.
Someone on the forums says they ended up bricking their head units and the dealership allegedly estimated the cost of the repairs at over 2,000 Euros (nearly $2,400). Others say they managed to update their head units but CarPlay and Android Auto weren’t activated for some reason.
No matter if the update is successful or not, the process can take up to 40 to 50 minutes, so make sure you give it enough time to complete should you decide to eventually try out the whole thing.
As far as the authorized Toyota dealerships are concerned, they seem to claim that the official update would become available for their clients in September or October. The new USB drives for the update have reportedly been ordered already, but it could still take a few more weeks until the new software version can be installed on the first cars.
For now, if you don’t want to take any risk and update the head unit on your own, it’s probably better to wait for your local dealership to get the new software version. At this moment, it seems we’re just a few weeks away from the point this is supposed to happen.
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