Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/DoorDash
The number of apps available on Android Auto and CarPlay keeps growing as more big companies acknowledge that these two phone projection systems are here to stay (no matter what General Motors claims).
The latest important name to join the CarPlay app club is DoorDash, as the company's most recent update supports Apple's car-optimized experience.
While DoorDash launching on CarPlay is fantastic news, especially for Dashers, the announcement is more of a rollercoaster ride.
Here's everything you must know about DoorDash on CarPlay.
First and foremost, the update is only available in select markets. DoorDash did not reveal the regions receiving the CarPlay integration, but the company says "select markets" will test the feature before it "scales to all Dashers in the coming months." DoorDash is still in the testing phase, so broad availability is due later this year.
Second, the CarPlay experience is automatically enabled once you install the update from the App Store on your iPhone. Considering DoorDash rolls out the update to a limited set of users, you won't get the CarPlay support if you install the latest version. Your only option is to wait until the public rollout begins.
The DoorDash experience on CarPlay comes down to a single feature: navigation. The parent company explains that all features are available on the mobile version of DoorDash, so when a Dasher picks an order, they can connect the iPhone to the car to see turn-by-turn directions on the infotainment screen.
No other features are available on CarPlay, so if you believe that DoorDash lets you accept an order or access the entire mobile functionality from the dashboard display, that's not happening right now. Navigation is the only thing included in this update, and considering the app uses Google Maps, I expect many Dashers to ignore it anyway. Apps like Waze help them reach destinations faster thanks to the crowdsourcing engine (which eventually allows them to avoid traffic jams, accidents, and other incidents that could slow them down).
While many Dashers might already walk away, disappointed by this limited update, the parent company promises to ship more functionality for the CarPlay integration in the coming months. No specifics are available at this point, but unless more mobile features land on CarPlay, I'm sure Dashers can set the destination in whatever navigation app they use.
If you want to use integrated DoorDash navigation on CarPlay (once the update becomes available on your iPhone), simply connect the phone to the head unit when you head toward a new address. DoorDash should detect the CarPlay connection and automatically transfer the turn-by-turn guidance to the larger screen in the car until you arrive at the destination, with the interface to return to the mobile device afterward.
While DoorDash launching on CarPlay is fantastic news, especially for Dashers, the announcement is more of a rollercoaster ride.
Here's everything you must know about DoorDash on CarPlay.
First and foremost, the update is only available in select markets. DoorDash did not reveal the regions receiving the CarPlay integration, but the company says "select markets" will test the feature before it "scales to all Dashers in the coming months." DoorDash is still in the testing phase, so broad availability is due later this year.
Second, the CarPlay experience is automatically enabled once you install the update from the App Store on your iPhone. Considering DoorDash rolls out the update to a limited set of users, you won't get the CarPlay support if you install the latest version. Your only option is to wait until the public rollout begins.
The DoorDash experience on CarPlay comes down to a single feature: navigation. The parent company explains that all features are available on the mobile version of DoorDash, so when a Dasher picks an order, they can connect the iPhone to the car to see turn-by-turn directions on the infotainment screen.
No other features are available on CarPlay, so if you believe that DoorDash lets you accept an order or access the entire mobile functionality from the dashboard display, that's not happening right now. Navigation is the only thing included in this update, and considering the app uses Google Maps, I expect many Dashers to ignore it anyway. Apps like Waze help them reach destinations faster thanks to the crowdsourcing engine (which eventually allows them to avoid traffic jams, accidents, and other incidents that could slow them down).
While many Dashers might already walk away, disappointed by this limited update, the parent company promises to ship more functionality for the CarPlay integration in the coming months. No specifics are available at this point, but unless more mobile features land on CarPlay, I'm sure Dashers can set the destination in whatever navigation app they use.
If you want to use integrated DoorDash navigation on CarPlay (once the update becomes available on your iPhone), simply connect the phone to the head unit when you head toward a new address. DoorDash should detect the CarPlay connection and automatically transfer the turn-by-turn guidance to the larger screen in the car until you arrive at the destination, with the interface to return to the mobile device afterward.
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