Here's How a Mix of Android Auto and CarPlay Would Look

Both systems allow users to connect their mobile devices to the media receivers in their cars and get one-tap access to essential apps, including navigation software, music streaming, phone calls, and messages.

Everything runs on the dashboard screen, with Google Assistant and Siri in charge of ensuring a hands-free experience.

While Android Auto and CarPlay seem like two drops of water, they also come with their own set of features. This is why I decided to conduct a small experiment using artificial intelligence.

I asked ChatGPT to create a mix of Android Auto and CarPlay by keeping their best features. The result isn't surprising, though ChatGPT generated different renderings on multiple requests. I included all photos in the photo gallery – please ignore the broken text in the photos – it turns out ChatGPT doesn't know how to font.

I won't comment much on what the eyes can see, but ChatGPT seems to like the Apple, CarPlay, and iPhone interface, using Apple's signature visual style in all renderings. AI also envisioned a mix of the two with iPhone-inspired widgets, and I was surprised to see an improved dock that provides more information, including what could be weather data.

ChatGPT also redesigned the Dashboard with iPhone-like widgets, and I must admit I like the idea. It's something that Apple is already working on for the second-generation CarPlay, as the company wants to create more consistency between its devices. Switching from a smartphone to CarPlay will feel more natural, as the infotainment screen will sport a familiar UI with visual elements borrowed from the iPhone.

The widgets even appear to be dynamic in one of the renderings.

The first time I heard about interactive widgets was in the Windows 10 Mobile era when software giant Microsoft was still committed to its mobile operating system. Live tiles were the best feature of Windows phones, and Microsoft wanted to evolve this concept by making them dynamic. An interactive live tile would have allowed users to interact with apps without launching them – for example, a live tile for a music app would have included support for controlling the music playback from the home screen.

Interactive widgets on the infotainment screen would allow users to call a contact, play a song, or control their smart home without launching the main app.

Android Auto and CarPlay offer similar support with the Coolwalk interface and the Dashboard, but the experience is still limited to only a handful of app categories. For example, the Dashboard only supports navigation apps, music apps, and phone calls, so other apps aren't allowed to access to the card-based interface.

The features of Android Auto and CarPlay should donate to each other.

One of the features I'd love on CarPlay is weather information. The UI has enough space to display a weather icon and the temperature in the dock, but Apple keeps ignoring this request, clearly not making the most of the available screen estate.

Android Auto already comes with weather information on the Coolwalk screen, but the data is only available for users with portrait screens. Before the Coolwalk update, Android Auto displayed the weather details in the status bar at the top of the screen. The original app version used a widget for weather information.

Another great feature that will soon debut on Android Auto and should also make its way to CarPlay is the support for mobile wallpapers.

Android Auto and CarPlay already allow users to set up a background by choosing from a pre-loaded wallpaper collection. All backgrounds are abstract photos, so it's no surprise that users have been asking Google and Apple for third-party wallpaper support.

While both companies have ignored the feedback on this front, Google is now readying a feature that pushes the wallpaper support to a new level. Users will be allowed to synchronize the home screen wallpaper on the mobile device with Android Auto, using the same background on both screens. The feature creates more consistency between devices, especially as Google is also working on allowing users to sync the stock icon theme on their devices with Android Auto.

Apple's walled garden doesn't allow such customization options, but considering a new CarPlay experience is already on the radar, the company should reconsider its strategy and at least provide users with basic options, such as support for third-party backgrounds. The new CarPlay will debut later this year on Aston Martin and Porsche models, but more carmakers will eventually adopt it, too.

Is there any feature you think shouldn't miss from a mix of Android Auto and CarPlay? Let me know in the comment box after the jump.