[Charlie (Wessex)]

Not sure how many Android users are out there, but the latest version of it is horrendous. It insists on having a split screen, and putting media up. I don't listen to any media through AA, I just want it for Waze, which now seems to be a lot smaller than it once was. It still works, but I usually have some damned podcast that AA thinks I want to listen to ion bright colours along side, which I find quite distracting and a wee bit annoying.

Is there anyway on getting rid of the split screen? The only app that seems to work full screen is Google Maps, but that doesn't tell me where the old bill is hiding out.

Yesterday I had AA on, no route plugged in, and used the cars satnav. That way I could still get some warnings

[Taylor66]

Was just thinking the same thing. I presumed I had changed a setting. Got car back after some repair work. Went yesterday to use Waze and was thibking that I was sure the display was bigger and how do I get rid of UTube music for half the screen (Never used)

[paulockenden]

There’s a layout button, if I remember correctly. Bottom right I think, might be bottom left. Looks like the BMW layout icon in the iDrive.

[Charlie (Wessex)]

Originally Posted by Taylor66

Was just thinking the same thing. I presumed I had changed a setting. Got car back after some repair work. Went yesterday to use Waze and was thibking that I was sure the display was bigger and how do I get rid of UTube music for half the screen (Never used)

Glad it wasn't just me going mad!!

To get rid of Youtube, you can go into Customise Launcher. I've hidden podcasts, as if I want one, I'll go via the inbuilt Spotify (I've hidden the Spotify as it clashes with the in-built version) Then it defaults to News, but if I want that, I can go through the app on iDrive. After that it was RadioPlayer, so got rid of that, and then got rid of TalkRadio.

Now it just leaves a blank panel.

TBH the UI is awful if you are like me and don't use your phone for everything.

Having a blank panel annoys me, so I might reinstate news as that is the least annoying option to have there.

[Shhmmooove]

Do you have the so called 'Coolwalk' update? Not sure who gets it since it appears to be a staggered rollout, but I recently upgraded my phone to a S23 Ultra and once I (painfully) managed to reconnect it to the car, I was able to get full screen maps.... it is glorious!

I had to ensure that Taskbar Widgets was enabled within AA on the phone, and once AA was running on the car (iDrive 7), both the Google Maps window and the Spotify window were displayed on the screen. Tapping on the Maps icon on the Taskbar (which sits on the far left side of the screen now) acts as a toggle, and pushed the Maps app into full screen.

With the new phone, which has the far superior Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, AA is reinvigorated and is snappy, responsive, feels higher-res and most importantly does not drain the battery as heavily as the S22 Ultra with the (shiiiite) Exynos processor. Wireless charging still heats up the phone, but when not charging, the S23 is nice and cool.

This is the AA version I have, if it helps, Android itself is v13.

Android Auto: 8.8.630424-release

[Charlie (Wessex)]

Yes, got "Coolwalk".

Disabled Spotify on AA, as use the inbuilt one in iDrive, and as it is, prefer listening to the radio most of the time. Google Maps is full screen, but I don't use it, as prefer Waze with the various warnings it gives....or does Maps do that as well and I'm not using properly??? Waze isn't full screen. Ended up with having Talk Radio occupying half the screen as it insists on having some media up there. Given that the DAB in the G21 is pretty crap it might come in use.

[Shhmmooove]

Crap...I don't use Waze! Maps does show a lot of info, but is lacking in local roadworks.

Weird the two apps have yet to merge considering it's a Google-owed app, and that they both don't go full screen. Hopefully in a future update it will!

Might give Waze another go...had trouble trying to sign up for it last year so left it. Seems to be working now.

[Charlie (Wessex)]

Waze is useful for real time police traps, not that I ever knowingly break the speed limit.

Actually been very useful on a wet dark M6 smart motorway bit with a broken down lorry. Warned of it before the signs came up on the motorway. Pothole warnings can be useful too.

[Taylor66]

Fixed speed cameras show up in google maps but I agree its the real time info - pot holes, hazards, and the rest that I prefer from waze (I dont like the graphics. Running waze in the background then BMW maps is a reasonable compromise but not seamless. As you say waze is owned by Google so I dont know why it cant scrape the real time info and display it on the google maps.

[paulockenden]

Pot hole alerts would sound like the morse code signal from the Titanic round my way!

[drdino]

Waze is still in Beta testing for Coolwalk full screen. It will get there and me like Google Maps.

[225]

I experienced waze in full screen the other day its brilliant! Not sure if I had to but I downloaded and installed the latest waze beta on my phone as well as latest android auto.

If they could make the directions in the hud and small screen more like the native bmw direction icons it would be perfect.

[Surge_Joebot]

Coolwalk update is amazing I think!

Maybe you need a bigger screen lol looks amazing on the new LCI model but I guess that's a matter of opinion.

Old one was far too small and limited in functionality. This update has freshened it up imo and makes much better use of the larger screen real estate now available.

[Charlie (Wessex)]

Just if no one realised (only found out using the car today) that Waze is now full screen on Android Auto.

It does have a propensity to want to revert to split screen and stay that way - when you use a function on iDrive (7 in this instance), tell it a new destination, when messages come in, etc but easy enough to get back to full screen by hitting the Waze icon on the right hand margin.

[dpazz]

On my LCI screen the split screen is great. You have that much screen that having an app display fullscreen is kinda overkill.

[Charlie (Wessex)]

Anyone got any help on how to stop the bloody thing being so invasive??

When I have bluetooth on, it automatically starts RadioPlayer (which I have because DAB is so crap). I have "Start music automatically" set to off yet it still starts up every single time.

I don't have Spotify on AA as it used to hijack the in built (and better) Spotify, and if I do want I can do it via the Spotify app and bluetooth.

Also, does anyone know how to easily get out of GMaps/Waze and back to BMW nav? If I plug in a Waze route, even when I cancel, Maps/Nav is stuck in Android Auto. I have programmed one of the 1-8 keys to nav to home and that does get out of AA and back into the BMW nav/map system.

AA has recently become so bloody invasive and a right pain to get out of without having to force it to stop.

[asbost]

Originally Posted by Charlie (Wessex)

Anyone got any help on how to stop the bloody thing being so invasive??

When I have bluetooth on, it automatically starts RadioPlayer (which I have because DAB is so crap). I have "Start music automatically" set to off yet it still starts up every single time.

I don't have Spotify on AA as it used to hijack the in built (and better) Spotify, and if I do want I can do it via the Spotify app and bluetooth.

Also, does anyone know how to easily get out of GMaps/Waze and back to BMW nav? If I plug in a Waze route, even when I cancel, Maps/Nav is stuck in Android Auto. I have programmed one of the 1-8 keys to nav to home and that does get out of AA and back into the BMW nav/map system.

AA has recently become so bloody invasive and a right pain to get out of without having to force it to stop.

Hi Charlie, can I ask why is the built in Spotify better than the AA app? Just curious.

Many thanks

[Charlie (Wessex)]

Better sound and easier to use.

[zlatko]

Charlie (Wessex) - I developed similar issue with Waze couple of weeks ago, but in my case it hijacks navigation even without me entering a destination in it. My way to getting back to BMW NAVI is by pressing the nav icon on left panel in infotainment screen, just above AA icon. But my G21 is LCi, so iDrive 8. Not sure about iDrive 7.

[Charlie (Wessex)]

I've just been in the car and it didn't auto start. I've done 2 things, and think it was the first that stopped it.

1) Went into COM and disconnected AA when I last drove. It didn't start up. Bit of a pain to have to do this the whole time.

2) Went into Google Maps on my desktop > settings and turned Driving Mode off. To be totally honest, not sure how connected AA and Google Maps are.

Just checked my mobile and note that DRIVING MODE is off on there, thought not sure if it was on before. Hopefully that might do it. But who knows? I suspect when I next turn it on, that I'll have to do the first step again.

I did note that when I turned on Bluetooth, AA automatically starts searching for connections. Too intrusive IMO

PS - to get control back for BMW nav, I have programmed nav to home in one of the preset buttons, which I can then cancel or not.

[zlatko]

Charlie (Wessex) - if you remove AA checkmark in COM it will not automatically launch AA when you start the car. There is also setting in AA on your phone when to auto start it - you can select "always", "when used on last drive" and "auto(car default)". My problem is just with Waze - it launches right away in active guidance mode and interrupts even the native NAVI active guidance.

[Herr Gross Byte]

Originally Posted by dpazz

On my LCI screen the split screen is great. You have that much screen that having an app display fullscreen is kinda overkill.

Shhh. You'll spoil their buzz that buttons, a gear selector and small screen are better.