Android Auto very broken

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numbat

***
Joined
Sep 5, 2015
Messages
3
I have a 2016 SEL, which I'm trying to get working with Android Auto on a Samsung Galaxy S4 mini running Cyanogenmod 12 and Android 5.1.1.

The car's system sees the phone when connected via USB however after a bit of flickering on the phone, things fail during initial setup, and the phone pops up a dialog that says "Unfortunately Google Play Services has stopped".

Has anyone seen Android Auto work on a 2016 e-Golf? If so, could you kindly tell me which phone/OS you are using? :)

Thanks,

Stacey
 
numbat said:
I have a 2016 SEL, which I'm trying to get working with Android Auto on a Samsung Galaxy S4 mini running Cyanogenmod 12 and Android 5.1.1.

The car's system sees the phone when connected via USB however after a bit of flickering on the phone, things fail during initial setup, and the phone pops up a dialog that says "Unfortunately Google Play Services has stopped".

Has anyone seen Android Auto work on a 2016 e-Golf? If so, could you kindly tell me which phone/OS you are using? :)

Thanks,

Stacey

Try going into settings> Other > Applications, and delete the application, then try to reinstall through Google Play Store. Make sure you are hooked up to a solid WiFi connection before trying to re install Carplay. It usually takes verizon several days to issue you an email with an activation code that they now recognize you and that you are now good to go.

Congrats on your new e-Golf, you are the 3rd one I know of that sold here in So Cal this weekend. Where did you end up buying from?
 
I should add that I've reinstalled the app on my phone, cleared data and cache for Android Auto, Google Play, Google Play Service, and when none of that made a difference, factory reset the phone, which also made no difference. It's still failing with exactly the same message and java crash report, which I have submitted.

This is an VW/Android problem, not Apple, Carplay, or Verizon related, at least at my user level. CarPlay does nominally work, as briefly confirmed by connecting my wife's iPhone.

JoulesThief said:
Congrats on your new e-Golf, you are the 3rd one I know of that sold here in So Cal this weekend. Where did you end up buying from?
The car is great, the buying experience less so. I'll perhaps post a buyer's report when I have more time.
 
numbat said:
I should add that I've reinstalled the app on my phone, cleared data and cache for Android Auto, Google Play, Google Play Service, and when none of that made a difference, factory reset the phone, which also made no difference. It's still failing with exactly the same message and java crash report, which I have submitted.

This is an VW/Android problem, not Apple, Carplay, or Verizon related, at least at my user level. CarPlay does nominally work, as briefly confirmed by connecting my wife's iPhone.

JoulesThief said:
Congrats on your new e-Golf, you are the 3rd one I know of that sold here in So Cal this weekend. Where did you end up buying from?
The car is great, the buying experience less so. I'll perhaps post a buyer's report when I have more time.

I have a 2015 SEL, Galaxy S4, Android 5.0.1, not rooted. and Carplay works just fine. Perhaps it's the Cyanogen Mod, being rooted, and running 5.1.1, or perhaps it's the S4 Mini that is the problem? Doubt you want to try to go back to 5.0.1 to find out if that solves the problem. There just are not a lot of 2016's out there yet, with so many 2015's still sitting out there for sale, dirt cheap. I am guessing you get to play Beta tester for the vendor VW chose to handle the app and design, as the S4 mini is not so main stream.
 
2016 SE, Moto G 2nd Gen, Android 5.0.2

Android Auto is flaky, but I've been able to get it to work. My issues are in getting it to connect in the first place - once connected, navigation and Pandora have been reliable.

I do some app development, so I have Developer mode and USB debugging enabled on my phone which may make things more flaky. Basically I often have to turn development mode off and on again to get the phone to connect.

I also always get a warning about an incompatible device on the car's screen (whether it works or not).
 
ulrichw said:
2016 SE, Moto G 2nd Gen, Android 5.0.2

I did have Development Mode on, but just tried with it off...no change. I didn't have Pandora (or Spotify) installed, so installed that, no change.

The crash report is:

[CRASH] com.google.android.gms threw java.lang.RuntimeException

Submission Content

java.lang.RuntimeException: registerAudioPolicy failed -1
at com.google.android.gms.car.g.a(SourceFile:888)
...
then a monster stack (partial image attached).
Screenshot_2015-11-16-13-37-57.png
 
JoulesThief said:
I am guessing you get to play Beta tester for the vendor VW chose to handle the app and design, as the S4 mini is not so main stream.
I have no inside information, but I suspect that the App-Connect system in the 2016 e-Golf was developed by a team at the VW Electronics Research Lab in Belmont, CA. So close to Google and Apple, where else would they do it?
 
miimura said:
JoulesThief said:
I am guessing you get to play Beta tester for the vendor VW chose to handle the app and design, as the S4 mini is not so main stream.
I have no inside information, but I suspect that the App-Connect system in the 2016 e-Golf was developed by a team at the VW Electronics Research Lab in Belmont, CA. So close to Google and Apple, where else would they do it?

Great, if you own Apple, not so great if you own a Samsung, and make it a Verizon, or a AT&T or a Sprint or a T mobile, and a low level seller like the S4 Mini, with who knows what for components, etc. Every different Samsung model has it's own quirks, and platform it, and only it, runs on. Programmers nightmare, I suspect.
 
All I can say is if you don't have a Nexus device, good luck. Android fragmentation and the resulting slow to non-existent updates is one reason that I have an iPhone.
 
miimura said:
All I can say is if you don't have a Nexus device, good luck. Android fragmentation and the resulting slow to non-existent updates is one reason that I have an iPhone.
So are you suggesting a Nexus, or a newer, more current mainstream Samsung as a more timely solution to his problem?
 
JoulesThief said:
miimura said:
All I can say is if you don't have a Nexus device, good luck. Android fragmentation and the resulting slow to non-existent updates is one reason that I have an iPhone.
So are you suggesting a Nexus, or a newer, more current mainstream Samsung as a more timely solution to his problem?
All I'm saying is that Nexus and Google Play Edition phones get updates sooner than other phones. I don't know the exact compatibility requirements and I didn't find a compatible device list on the VW site like they have for Bluetooth. In fact, the Bluetooth Compatibility Checker has not even been updated for the 2016 model year.

http://knowyourvw.com/bluetooth/
 
ulrichw said:
2016 SE, Moto G 2nd Gen, Android 5.0.2

Android Auto is flaky, but I've been able to get it to work. My issues are in getting it to connect in the first place - once connected, navigation and Pandora have been reliable.

I do some app development, so I have Developer mode and USB debugging enabled on my phone which may make things more flaky. Basically I often have to turn development mode off and on again to get the phone to connect.

I also always get a warning about an incompatible device on the car's screen (whether it works or not).

2016 SE :
I had 2 phones, LG G2 with Android 5.0.2 and MotoX 1st gen 5.1 - both not rooted standard OTA upgrade.
Have no issues connecting to Android Auto. I have to go to the set up to connect initially but no issue after that. I mostly use for the Navigation - Pandora/Spotify - not so much.
 
JoulesThief said:
numbat said:
I should add that I've reinstalled the app on my phone, cleared data and cache for Android Auto, Google Play, Google Play Service, and when none of that made a difference, factory reset the phone, which also made no difference. It's still failing with exactly the same message and java crash report, which I have submitted.

This is an VW/Android problem, not Apple, Carplay, or Verizon related, at least at my user level. CarPlay does nominally work, as briefly confirmed by connecting my wife's iPhone.

JoulesThief said:
Congrats on your new e-Golf, you are the 3rd one I know of that sold here in So Cal this weekend. Where did you end up buying from?
The car is great, the buying experience less so. I'll perhaps post a buyer's report when I have more time.

I have a 2015 SEL, Galaxy S4, Android 5.0.1, not rooted. and Carplay works just fine. Perhaps it's the Cyanogen Mod, being rooted, and running 5.1.1, or perhaps it's the S4 Mini that is the problem? Doubt you want to try to go back to 5.0.1 to find out if that solves the problem. There just are not a lot of 2016's out there yet, with so many 2015's still sitting out there for sale, dirt cheap. I am guessing you get to play Beta tester for the vendor VW chose to handle the app and design, as the S4 mini is not so main stream.
Does the 2015 SEL have CarPlay?
 
bizzle said:
JoulesThief said:
JoulesThief said:
Congrats on your new e-Golf, you are the 3rd one I know of that sold here in So Cal this weekend. Where did you end up buying from?


I have a 2015 SEL, Galaxy S4, Android 5.0.1, not rooted. and Carplay works just fine. Perhaps it's the Cyanogen Mod, being rooted, and running 5.1.1, or perhaps it's the S4 Mini that is the problem? Doubt you want to try to go back to 5.0.1 to find out if that solves the problem. There just are not a lot of 2016's out there yet, with so many 2015's still sitting out there for sale, dirt cheap. I am guessing you get to play Beta tester for the vendor VW chose to handle the app and design, as the S4 mini is not so main stream.
Does the 2015 SEL have CarPlay?
oops, carnet.
 
Android Auto/VW interation with Android 5.0.1/Lollopop appears to have more buggy code paths in its connection logic than working ones, hence it can be so frustrating to try to get it to go. I hope VW Software R&D (and AndroidAuto) look at this problem and fix it.

However, here is a "magic sequence" that seems to work for my Android 5.0.1 (it's an LG G3) almost every time (after it failed almost always on me before I found the sequence). :D


It appears to be important to follow this sequence exactly. :idea:

But first, let’s see what does not seem to matter:
- If the car ignition is started or not.
- If the phone is displaying the main Droid screen with the apps or the view that shows the apps running (as long as you are unlocked when you run the sequence).

Sequence:

0. Preparation (in any order):
0.1 Unplug the USB cable
0.2 Unlock your phone (enter security code).
0.3 clear out any Android Auto apps running on your phone (the black “hosed” ones that the car generates when sth gets wrong/mirror link gets attempted, as well as the “good” ones with the blue window).
0.4 Now make sure the Car stereo/entertainment system is off (that is, black screen).
(Otherwise the car will attempt to connect on its own once the USB cable is in, which will result in a black/failed AndroidAuto app to be started, after which you have to start from the top again).

1. Plug in the USB cable first.

(If you do not do it in this order, any of the apps - on phone androidauto or the car) will try to build a connection once the usb cable goes in, which will fail either way, hence the apps must be off when the cable goes in).

1.1 Wait 3-5 seconds (the phone needs to recognize the USB connection, and it will vibrate/ping briefly when done).

2. Now, start the AndroidAuto app MANUALLY on the phone.
Again, this is important, as it expects the USB connection already to be present.

2.1 Wait 3-5 seconds (AndroidAuto needs to verify the USB connection, I’d assume).

3. Now turn on the Car stereo/computer (dial knob).

3.1 Wait 3-5 seconds.

4. Now on the car, under Menu/AppConnect, connect the Android Device.
Note that because we followed that order, it will find the AndroidAuto app on the phone already responding to it, hence it will not start to create a failing black-screen Android Auto, at least in 9 of 10 cases. If it does, start from the top.

4.1 Wait a few seconds, and enjoy the glory. Drive safely.


Notes:
- I found in a few cases (maybe 1-2 of 10 cases) that this still failed, and I think it had to do with not waiting properly between the steps.
- Pretty much any other sequence failed on me.
It will eg. fail almost always if you have the car stereo turned on first, or if the USB plug goes in after the apps are running on both sides.
- In rare cases (2 out of maybe 30 tests I did), if the car apps were in an odd state while the ignition was on, I stopped the ignition, then started with 0 above and it was fine. However I could not prove that it was required to stop the ignition first.
- I have succeeded to re-activate a working connection as long as not too much time had passed, by keeping the cable plugged in and AndroidAuto running, and just disconnect on the car stereo/turn it off; then later just turn on the stereo again and selecting AndroidAuto. I think that’s what happens when you get back to the car after a few minutes. But it did not always work. So then the full sequence was required again. Not sure if it has to do with the unlocking of the phone or not, did not try.

Finally:

- As great as the app is, VW R&D needs to fix this mess in the connection synchronization logic. :roll:
- FYI, the connectivity seems to work flawlessly with my wife's iphone without trick .. :shock:

Hopefully this works for some of you. Have fun! :D :D :D
 
Android auto was flaky to set up initially but I am happy to report that after some fiddling it's working great. I'm using a dedicated phone in the vehicle and android auto starts up automatically in about 10 seconds. If I am using other parts of the MDI, Android Auto is accessed by pressing the media then tuner-knob buttons in quick succession.

Using it every drive, it's already a good platform for music, nav and hangouts and should only improve over time.
 
Verkehr said:
I'm using a dedicated phone in the vehicle and android auto starts up automatically in about 10 seconds.
While in the car, how do you handle SMS and calls to and from your regular phone (in your pocket, not dedicated to the vehicle)?
 
kirby said:
Verkehr said:
I'm using a dedicated phone in the vehicle and android auto starts up automatically in about 10 seconds.
While in the car, how do you handle SMS and calls to and from your regular phone (in your pocket, not dedicated to the vehicle)?
I use google voice which integrates SMS with hangouts and forwards any incoming calls to both phones at the same time.
 
NaturePhotoFelix said:
Android Auto/VW interation with Android 5.0.1/Lollopop appears to have more buggy code paths in its connection logic than working ones, hence it can be so frustrating to try to get it to go. I hope VW Software R&D (and AndroidAuto) look at this problem and fix it.

However, here is a "magic sequence" that seems to work for my Android 5.0.1 (it's an LG G3) almost every time (after it failed almost always on me before I found the sequence). :D


It appears to be important to follow this sequence exactly. :idea:

But first, let’s see what does not seem to matter:
- If the car ignition is started or not.
- If the phone is displaying the main Droid screen with the apps or the view that shows the apps running (as long as you are unlocked when you run the sequence).

Sequence:

0. Preparation (in any order):
0.1 Unplug the USB cable
0.2 Unlock your phone (enter security code).
0.3 clear out any Android Auto apps running on your phone (the black “hosed” ones that the car generates when sth gets wrong/mirror link gets attempted, as well as the “good” ones with the blue window).
0.4 Now make sure the Car stereo/entertainment system is off (that is, black screen).
(Otherwise the car will attempt to connect on its own once the USB cable is in, which will result in a black/failed AndroidAuto app to be started, after which you have to start from the top again).

1. Plug in the USB cable first.

(If you do not do it in this order, any of the apps - on phone androidauto or the car) will try to build a connection once the usb cable goes in, which will fail either way, hence the apps must be off when the cable goes in).

1.1 Wait 3-5 seconds (the phone needs to recognize the USB connection, and it will vibrate/ping briefly when done).

2. Now, start the AndroidAuto app MANUALLY on the phone.
Again, this is important, as it expects the USB connection already to be present.

2.1 Wait 3-5 seconds (AndroidAuto needs to verify the USB connection, I’d assume).

3. Now turn on the Car stereo/computer (dial knob).

3.1 Wait 3-5 seconds.

4. Now on the car, under Menu/AppConnect, connect the Android Device.
Note that because we followed that order, it will find the AndroidAuto app on the phone already responding to it, hence it will not start to create a failing black-screen Android Auto, at least in 9 of 10 cases. If it does, start from the top.

4.1 Wait a few seconds, and enjoy the glory. Drive safely.


Notes:
- I found in a few cases (maybe 1-2 of 10 cases) that this still failed, and I think it had to do with not waiting properly between the steps.
- Pretty much any other sequence failed on me.
It will eg. fail almost always if you have the car stereo turned on first, or if the USB plug goes in after the apps are running on both sides.
- In rare cases (2 out of maybe 30 tests I did), if the car apps were in an odd state while the ignition was on, I stopped the ignition, then started with 0 above and it was fine. However I could not prove that it was required to stop the ignition first.
- I have succeeded to re-activate a working connection as long as not too much time had passed, by keeping the cable plugged in and AndroidAuto running, and just disconnect on the car stereo/turn it off; then later just turn on the stereo again and selecting AndroidAuto. I think that’s what happens when you get back to the car after a few minutes. But it did not always work. So then the full sequence was required again. Not sure if it has to do with the unlocking of the phone or not, did not try.

Finally:

- As great as the app is, VW R&D needs to fix this mess in the connection synchronization logic. :roll:
- FYI, the connectivity seems to work flawlessly with my wife's iphone without trick .. :shock:

Hopefully this works for some of you. Have fun! :D :D :D

You are Life saver - I've been banging my head to make this Android Auto to work :) :)
I use LG G2 with Android 5.0.2 connect to my 2016 SE, I notice if the BT was connected before Android Auto , the system will change from AA to Mirror Link and will fail to connect to Android Auto.
(LG did not support MirrorLink, so it will fail everytime, will be interesting for other user with Samsung GS5 or GS 6 that support Mirrorlink, how this will behave)
so I make sure the BT is off before connecting. Once connected, AA will turn on the BT - and I'm a Happy Camper.
it's basically step 0.2.5 or 0.3.5 from your guide.

your issue with Re Activate a working connection maybe related to the BT connection, try to re activate with BT off.

Thanks again for this tips.
 
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