Summary
- Installing an aftermarket Android car head unit can be a finicky process, but it's worth it for tech enthusiasts and people who want to upgrade their car.
- The purchased head unit runs Android and requires the Tlink app for Android Auto support, but it works well out of the box.
- While there are many options for Android car head units, the most popular brands offer a variety of features and designs to suit individual preferences.
I recently bought my first car, a Kia Picanto, and it's old enough that the pre-installed head unit was a simple radio with a CD player and Bluetooth support. While that's more than good enough for most people, as a tech enthusiast, I wanted to go a bit fancier than that. That's why one of the first things I did was buy a new aftermarket Android car head unit, and it's leaps and bounds better than what I had before.
About this article: I purchased this Android car head unit myself, and no company had any input into the contents of this article.
Installation
Undoubtedly finicky
I'm not exactly a car person, nor have I ever been. I am a computer person, though, and watching videos of people swapping in head units filled me with enough confidence to say that I was reasonably comfortable with the installation. This head unit came with a SIM card reader, a GPS, an antenna for mobile data, and a reversing camera that I could install if I wanted to later.
The Kia Picanto 2015 has a double DIN stereo size, which means that the 9-inch display of the head unit I chose fits perfectly. It's an aftermarket one from an unknown Chinese brand, as I purchased it from a company here in Ireland. I needed to buy it locally because cars in Ireland drive on the left, meaning that the steering wheel is on the right. Importing it from anywhere else would have a shell that fits the other way around and, therefore, would not fit in my car.
Putting it together took over an hour and a half, including the time taken to remove the original stereo setup. All the connectors for that stereo fit the aftermarket head unit that I purchased just fine, and the most stressful part was making sure everything was put together and in place before inserting it back into place. Once installed, it's locked in and incredibly difficult to get back out.
Upgrading was a fantastic decision
I can't recommend it enough
First and foremost, the head unit I purchased was only for Android Auto support, and it doesn't appear to be natively built in. Rather, it uses an app that seems to force it to work. Out of the box, the head unit runs Android, but pre-installed apps were installed using an APK installer rather than anything else. The built-in Tlink app is what I need to launch to get Android Auto running, so I immediately launch that app every time I start my car. This piggybacks off the connection from my phone and then launches Android Auto and connects via Wi-Fi Direct.
While I've read about people having problems with Tlink, I haven't experienced any. This was also really my only option without building something more custom from a more reputable brand, and I was confident that I could figure out a way around any problems. Thankfully, there haven't really been any, and it just works out of the box.
Connecting my phone over Bluetooth and launching the Tlink app is all I need for it to work, and from there, I could launch all the normal Android Auto apps. I use Waze for navigation and Spotify in the left pane, though I can also interact with it by using the Hey Google wakeword. I can also make calls and send texts using the Google Assistant, too. It's made it much easier for me to drive and navigate simultaneously, as it's much easier to get information at a glance or hear what I need to hear without struggling while also trying to focus on driving.
To be clear, I wouldn't recommend getting a head unit that isn't an official Android Auto head unit, but this is as good as it gets with the options I have available. It's the best addition I could have made to my car, and one that I can't recommend enough. Not only does it make it easier to drive, but a small part of me also just loves its aesthetic. With integration in the car, my steering wheel controls still work, so I can pause, play, and skip tracks all from the steering wheel without taking my eyes off the road.
What car head unit should you buy?
There's something for everyone
There are a ton of Android car head units that you can buy, and any of the most popular brands are more than good enough. There's a huge market of third-party head units you can install that will give you the Android Auto experience without needing a new car. While some are more expensive than others, it depends on what you want. For example, how big a screen you're looking for, whether you'd like it to sit inside your dashboard or float outside it, and whether you value a clean and minimal design.