I finally plugged my Android phone into my car.

[MineralMan]

Normally, I have no reason to do so, and keep my phone in my pocket, but I needed directions to a place in Minneapolis I never go to. And, more importantly, directions to get out of that place and back on the freeway to get back to safety at my home.

I had put the destination in Minneapolis into Google maps on my desktop computer. Sure enough, there they were on the touch screen in my car. I tapped start, and I was on my way. Coming home, I did the same for "Home," and the Google lady guided me out of the parking lot and back onto the freeway.

Shame on Minneapolis, though, for not posting signs showing visitors how to return to I-94 East from major destinations like the Convention Center. It's not that difficult, but there are no signs at all, and Minneapolis has numbered streets and avenues that intersect with each other, which causes me no end of trouble in finding my way around that city. And then, some streets drop the number and have a name, but the numbers proceed as if the named streets were numbered. Or is that avenues? I'm never sure.

Anyhow, hurrah for our great technology and for Google keeping track of everything. Apparently Google knows what device I'm using and keeps everything in sync.

However, if you're using Android Auto on your phone and you're alone in the car, at least in a KIA Soul, you should know that you need to set your trip up with the key on, but with the car not yet started. Otherwise, the car protects you by not allowing you to do anything on the touch screen. So, plug in phone, turn key on, wait for car to recognize phone, then tap start to begin getting directions. Then you can start the car and drive on. I suppose that makes some sense, but it's not intuitive.

If, however, you have a passenger in the car, the car's system thinks the passenger is using the phone and lets you proceed with touch screen inputs while driving. Very clever, I guess. On the other hand, I'm old and probably need protection from myself.

Oh, yeah, in the car, you can also give voice commands to Google maps. You just press the Mic button on the steering wheel and tell Google maps where you want to go. "Directions to [destination].

[CurtEastPoint]

1. Try WAZE also. I prefer it to Google.

[Srkdqltr]

3. Yes WAZE. Great app. Easy to see and follow.

[MineralMan]

6. Yeah. If you have the WAZE app open on the phone,

the car uses that. It's just basically mirroring your phone, really. I'm more used to the Google Maps direction stuff. I always used to just use the phone in speaker mode, but having it tethered to the car's entertainment system gives you better sound.

You can even have the radio or other music on. When Google speaks, it mutes that and switches to the Google lady. Very smart features.

Better trim levels on KIA Souls do all of that via Bluetooth, but my base trim level makes me tether with a USB cable, but then, it keeps my phone fully charged at the same time, which is a plus.

[rgbecker]

2. Was it the car or the phone that found your way?

Sounds like your car has a computer in there...touch screen in a car? Wow...up to date. Seems like it might be a GPS too?

[MineralMan]

4. Both Android Auto and my Android Phone use Google Maps.

So, I'm not entirely sure which is providing the directions. The phone has to be tethered to the car with a USB cable, though, so I think it's using the phone for all of its inputs. It just works. The voice is heard on the car speakers, and you can control volume with the arrows on the steering wheel.

If a call comes in, you can answer it hands free, using steering wheel controls, as well. I have not had to do that.

So, I don't think the entertainment system itself has the computer. That's in the phone. Apple iPhones have their own app to do the same thing.

[FakeNoose]

5. Good to know

I'm so locked into "old technology" that I still print out maps from my computer when I'm home and take them with me in the car.

[MineralMan]

7. Yeah. I have those printed maps in the car as a backup.

I don't trust this new-fangled technology.

[Shermann]

8. I had a business trip in Minneapolis a few years ago

I would have been lost snaking my way to and from that airport without GPS. There were like 100 turns to get to my hotel.

USB is hit or miss with entertainment system connections to your phone, but Bluetooth usually works.

[MineralMan]

9. On the KIA Soul LX trim, tethering with USB is mandatory with

Android Auto, or it doesn't work at all. You do need a data cable for the USB-C connection, though, with Samsung phones. Cheap charging cables don't work. Otherwise, it works great.

[MineralMan]

10. I hear you on that.

[mitch96]

11. Even though I have the maps function on my Mazda the iPhone carplay with google maps is easier.

I believe it's the google maps and not the car that does the directions when you are plugged into the phone. Great stuff. I had a Garmin GPS on my motorcycle and it worked great. Google maps, again was easier but it used up a bunch of data. Also if you were in an area of no cell service the Garmin worked off of satellites. I have recently moved to a new area and it's a godsent to help me find places and learn my new environs.
I thought WAZE was bought by Google and Waze traffic info shows on google maps..
m

[Liberal In Texas]

12. My Kia Niro PHEV came with a map program.

Which I find easier to use than plugging the phone in and out witch wears out the port. It has a wireless phone charger and uses Bluetooth to connect for phone functions. You can't use Android Auto via Bluetooth so I find this much more to my liking.

The wonders of modern technology.

[MineralMan]

13. The 2020 Soul LX doesn't have those options.

So, it's tether or no maps. Saved about $8,000. I can live with that.