Michal Gapiski demonstrated in his Tesla Model 3 that he was able to install Apple CarPlay, the in-car Apple system. This demonstration came in response to Tesla’s apparent lack of interest in CarPlay. Tesla North noted that Gapinski, after six-months of hard work, has released an alpha version on Github of the “Tesla Android”.
A Rasberry Pi running Android with an LTE Modem and Wi-Fi Access Point, along with a micro HDMI-to-HDMI cable and Ethernet-cable, can be used as a workaround. The in-car internet browser, as shown in the YouTube video, is used to link to the Rasberry and show the CarPlay interface, which includes Apple Music and Maps, on the Tesla screen. This system can tesla carplay work while you are driving and is controlled by the Tesla steering wheel’s media buttons.
Gapinski says that usability was the key objective for the alpha version. To scale the project and make it popular among the Tesla Community, the Android interface must be responsive. He says that if it is not available, the project will fail to gain traction. Gapinski continues: “Right Now, the focus starts to shift from better integration towards simplification.” By reducing installation time and cost, Gapinski says that the need for two boards can be dropped.
Tesla doesn’t offer any official support despite CarPlay being a standard feature in many electric vehicles. Tesla never implemented its 2020 plans to support Apple Music. Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, does not appear to have responded to Twitter requests to add CarPlay. Teslas offer a number of benefits, such as a large range and the most efficient charging network. However, they’re far from being perfect. One of their biggest flaws is the fact that none have Android Auto or Apple CarPlay support.
With a little technical wizardry, it might be possible for you to circumvent these limitations. Michal Gapinski has updated his Tesla Android update. Michal Gapinski was the programmer responsible for running Apple CarPlay in a Tesla last January. Gapinski’s detailed guide explains how to install Android Auto on Teslas.
The process is not easy and it requires a Raspberry Pi 4 along with a little patience to dig through Tesla’s code. If you are able to side-load Android on the Tesla you can then access Apple CarPlay as well as Android Auto via the web browser. Video above shows only Apple CarPlay on a Tesla, no Android Auto. Gapinski explains in his how-to that both Android Auto and CarPlay can run using the same process. Android Auto, being a native Android App, should make it easier to use in a stable manner.
It does not matter, however, which piece of software you use. The installation of Tesla Android appears to be a complicated and lengthy process. This is definitely not a product for beginners. You can’t tell what effect this will have on warranty. You should proceed at your risk.