This review is based on my own use, research and observations made with several Android car head units. I have been designing and developing OEM and aftermarket car audio products for almost two years and this passion has driven me to explore new technologies in head units. I am using Mahindra Scorpio S4 and Maruti Suzuki Swift Zxi Type 2 for experimentation on android host.
With the growing popularity of the operating system in Android phones, Android headphone audio devices are entering the market. Its strengths in the Linux kernel and application repositories are a boon to its success.
When you are considering new technology in your car’s infotainment system, you should be careful when choosing a system because it is an integral part of your car and may cause some anomalies and malfunctions in other connected modules. Since the vehicle is a vehicle for the transport of people, the safety of its occupants and others on the road must be considered, choosing the right time-tested audio head unit (AHU) will eliminate the risk that new technologies in hardware or software may cause unknown events.
If you have an OEM and want to change the system to learn new features or just for fun, my main advice is not to interfere with the OEM unless you have accurate information about the system, its pros and cons, side effects and what could prevent the vehicle’s platform from functioning properly for starting. If the sound quality provided by the OEM AHU is good enough, using the OEM system will be a peaceful adventure between car and driver, as the OEM AHU is well tested in all weather conditions, road conditions with all the necessary test cases, speed, power consumption and battery load. If your air conditioner is connected to the CAN bus, the system becomes an integral part of the vehicle platform and should not be adjusted unless recommended by the OEM. This is because the CAN bus transmit and receive timing is well timed and matched in the OEM AHU physical layer, if there is any timing shift in the secondary AHU, it may cause error messages or bus lock causing other devices. to a failed body control module (BCM) and other modules. The automotive electronics infotainment system is a group of functional modules such as BCM, ECU, ABS+EBD, airbags networked together so any foreign object (such as a new untested AHU) may or may not condense with the existing module.
Last but not least, using an OEM audio head unit is the way to go, as the OEM is responsible for their results, the user is not.
Disclaimer: Any unauthorized modifications to the vehicle may void or limit the warranty completely and compromise safety. Before making any changes, check the legal issues.
However, you can install some blocked apps and they are still vulnerable and don’t come close to OEM type security.
Alternatively, create another Google account just for this purpose as a workaround, making sure no email is set up. Some Android devices are designed to only go into standby mode, not full shutdown mode when the key is removed from the ignition. So if you leave your car parked for a longer period of time, say a week or two, the battery will die. This review discusses in detail what I found in the video.
The hardware is designed the same as other AHUs, but some are thinner and lighter without sacrificing sound quality. There are imports from northeastern countries that promise to attract buyers at fairly low prices. I have tried AHU Android from entry level to high end. Some Android air vents are inexpensive in terms of material, and if you look closely, the threaded slots for the mounting screws will break when you start to tighten the car’s front panel. One of my Scorpio’s systems failed while I was driving on a rough road. The plastic case of the printed circuit board (PCB) is of poor quality, and the touchscreen scratches easily.
Some 9-inch systems have Gorilla Glass screens that perform well and are nice to the touch. The ones I currently have installed on the Swift ZXi and Scorpio are fine and still working, no complaints so far. The one who complained to me was no longer in the car. Based on my experience, I made some overview videos, posted a video link for your visuals.
In terms of power, I found that the 10mA standby current flowing through the Android AHU with the ignition key removed and the car parked was negligible for a fully charged battery. What I tested was that the air conditioner went into a standby state rather than a full OFF state. When the ignition key is switched to accessory mode, the system immediately goes into an ON state. Totally shutdown air handling units are basically high end Android air handling units that draw 1mA but restart every time the ignition key is turned on. If you look at 1-DIN audio systems, you will see that in the old days they drew 1-5 mA and still use 1-DIN.
As I mentioned earlier, Android software and hardware can be improved, there are certain bugs, one of which I found is related to battery drain. On my Android installed on a Mahindra Scorpio S4, I fired up the radio app and took the key out of the ignition after I parked and locked the car. After 2 days, I discovered that the battery was dead and the engine would not start, I had to use an emergency starter. After some experimentation, I found out that the radio chip is enabled and does not allow the internal circuits of the Android system to go into standby mode. As I found out that the radio chip is not disabled by the Android system, first I turned off the radio from the UI, although there was no sound, but still a weak radio channel was heard from the subwoofer and two component speakers. Secondly, after removing the key from the ignition switch and completely turning off the system screen, the current consumption in standby mode increases to about 400 mA. I confirmed this after I turned on the key backlight, i.e. – the Power, Home, Back and Volume keys, they were still on even after I took the ignition key out. This proves that the radio chip does not allow the Android motherboard hardware to go into standby mode.
Another experiment I did was that I replaced the above host with updated hardware and software. After a thorough inspection put Mahindra Scorpio for a month. Often during the week I check and run the engine for a few minutes to check the oil circulation on the diesel. I’m fine. About a month later, the Scorpio wouldn’t start and I had to start it. The batteries are new, and with the same batteries Scorpio starts up without problems even after a long storage period of 3 months with a JVC or Alpine branded audio system installed. I removed the android system for debugging and found that the system draws 10mA of battery current in standby mode, i.e. consumes 120-140mW of power when the car is stopped. Below is a video explaining in detail the issue and how to fix this battery drain issue.
If you want to use the Android system for your car, you need to choose air conditioners from well-known manufacturers such as Blaupunkt (Key Largo series), Pioneer, Nippon and Maisun. However, these systems are stable and expensive. If you still want to use a budget system that costs less, be prepared to take the risk and it is recommended to keep a fully charged starter motor in your car in case of any battery drain. The Maisun Android audio system is considered the best of all systems due to its high quality sound reproduction and excellent energy saving even when the car is completely turned off. Personally, I have a Maisun in my Suzuki Swift ZXi, you can watch the video at the last link below.
What I don’t like about Android car audio systems is that they require frequent app updates which are time consuming and you need to connect to Wi-Fi every time for faster updates and installations. If you already have an OEM touchscreen with navigation, this is the best and always my first choice considering safety and quality, and the OEM is responsible for providing it to you. The system I’m trying out in the video below has neither touchscreen nor navigation block, so I really want to transfer what I did to my car.
Post time: Jan-09-2023