PHEV: Android Auto Coolwalk just landed

[Nick72]

Caveat first, whether you got this depends on your infotainment head unit, and, your phone.

PHEV Dynamic Premium or whatever daft name they gave it plus Samsung S22U (latest OS).

Looks great on the PHEV and miles more useable than the previous incarnations of AA. Be even better on the 23 model's high res screen.

For those that don't know what I'm talking about...

If not an AA user then it's not relevant.

If you're an AppleCar play user you will be saying we had this for years.

What is it? Multiple windows on-screen showing Nav, music, other items. Looks better, more info, and less hassle trying to find stuff in menus. 

Would have taken a picture but my phone was plugged in. Couldn't pull the short cable out fast enough to get a pic of the screen before it disappeared. I tried 🤣

[Saxacat]

Yes, was pleasantly surprised this morning to see it appear. Same phone here S22U and up to date OS and apps.

Didn't get to use it much this morning but I like it.

Main map to the right; Spotify lower left, possible destinations upper left (the destinations disappeared after a while), splitting the screen between Spotify and map, about 60/40.

 

[ernieb]

Looks good maybe time to upgrade my S10?

[ernieb]

I’ve just checked my phone and the latest downloaded Android Auto version is 8.6.625 which I think is ‘cool walk’ so maybe it will work, I’ll give it a try tomorrow.

[Roy124]

I had 8.6.625083 and haven't seen the split screen.  The latest version is 8.6.625093 dated 3 Feb 23.

Just upgraded but not tried it yet. 

[ernieb]

Re looked at mine, 8.6.625054

[Saxacat]

My Android Auto app is also 8.6.625054 and its not been updated recently.

I read online ages ago, that the Coolwalk code has been embedded in AA for a while, its just not been activated. There have been rumours of a phased roll-out for a while now, and it seems they were accurate.

[Roy124]

As I said. I have version is 8.6.625093 dated 3 Feb 23. 

Even so, just read the 8.8 might be the latest 

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/android-auto-88-starts-rolling-out-as-coolwalk-is-now-available-for-more-users-209562.html

In that link I found:

The release of Coolwalk isn’t tied to a specific Android Auto version, so updating to the latest build doesn’t guarantee that the new interface would be enabled in your car. Google uses a server-controlled rollout for the Coolwalk availability, so the company itself decides who gets the new experience and when.

[nlee]

Had it for about a week on Pixel 5. Looks good.

[Roy124]

15 minutes ago, nlee said:

Had it for about a week on Pixel 5. Looks good.

AA version? 

I only have Android 9 and saw you need 10 or 11.

[nlee]

2 hours ago, Roy124 said:

AA version? 

I only have Android 9 and saw you need 10 or 11.

Version 8.6.625054-release

[Roy124]

I think my problem is Huawei being blocked by Google which means they are limited to Android version up to 9 and cannot update to 10 or higher.  

At the moment the phone works well so I have no incentive to change yet. 

[ernieb]

I tried mine this morning and still the same as always. However, the AA app on the phone now says when you open it as a stand alone that the map functions will only be displayed on your cars Head Unit. So I’m not able to pre plan routes etc., on the phone just setting options.

[Nick72]

On 2/4/2023 at 3:46 PM, Saxacat said:

Yes, was pleasantly surprised this morning to see it appear. Same phone here S22U and up to date OS and apps.

Didn't get to use it much this morning but I like it.

Main map to the right; Spotify lower left, possible destinations upper left (the destinations disappeared after a while), splitting the screen between Spotify and map, about 60/40.

 

Neat. Just waiting for Waze compatibility for the Nav panel. Coming soon apparently.

[Nick72]

On 2/4/2023 at 4:29 PM, ernieb said:

Looks good maybe time to upgrade my S10?

Upgraded from a very old Galaxy Note, 9 months back.

[Saxacat]

Nooooo!!!!

 

New phone arrived today, Samsung S23 Ultra, after transferring everything and updating, went out to set up in the car and no Coolwalk!!!!

Android Auto version now 8.7.630264.

 

No idea how this rollout of Coolwalk works, but I've lost it for now 😞

[ernieb]

Android Auto version now 8.7.630264
cool wall works once I selected Google Maps as my default is Waze and that currently will not work (being developed to work I understand).

Looks good but so far I’ve not been able to change the %age screen split the current default makes for a small map area in my screen,

[nlee]

7 hours ago, ernieb said:

Android Auto version now 8.7.630264
cool wall works once I selected Google Maps as my default is Waze and that currently will not work (being developed to work I understand).

Looks good but so far I’ve not been able to change the %age screen split the current default makes for a small map area in my screen,

I don't think you can customise it Ernie. While it looks good and is handy if you are navigating and listening to Spotify, etc. However, if I'm just listening to the radio, the audio part of the screen is superfluous so I click on the map to view full screen.

Will the smaller map screen it also loses some of the info., like current speed on the Nav app I use.

[ernieb]

17 minutes ago, nlee said:

I don't think you can customise it Ernie. While it looks good and is handy if you are navigating and listening to Spotify, etc. However, if I'm just listening to the radio, the audio part of the screen is superfluous so I click on the map to view full screen.

Will the smaller map screen it also loses some of the info., like current speed on the Nav app I use.

So far I would not use it until the Waze app works. I’d also like to customise the screen layout to give a bigger window fir the map screen.

[ernieb]

Just ordered the Wireless AA Motorola MA1 from Amazon UK, £90, delivery 10th - 12th May. It will be interesting to see how this works with the update AA screens?

[roger_37]

my Android Auto version now is 8.9 630624.

 

[nlee]

2 hours ago, ernieb said:

Just ordered the Wireless AA Motorola MA1 from Amazon UK, £90, delivery 10th - 12th May. It will be interesting to see how this works with the update AA screens?

New screen works normal with my Carsify which is basically the same as the MA1

[Saxacat]

15 hours ago, ernieb said:

Just ordered the Wireless AA Motorola MA1 from Amazon UK, £90, delivery 10th - 12th May. It will be interesting to see how this works with the update AA screens?

I use the MA1 and it works fine with the new AA 😊

 

The only problem I've encountered with the MA1 is the sticky pad it came with, wont work on the plastic surround by the USB socket; I've seen videos of people who use USB extension leads to put it 'out the way', but I just leave it dangling and its not caused any problem.