My wife’s car is old and doesn’t have a modern infotainment unit with Android Auto capabilities. I wanted to add Android Auto to her car without buying a pricey head unit. Standalone Android Auto screens are cheaper, but they take up valuable dashboard space and reduce visibility.
Repurposing my old smartphone into an Android Auto head unit was the cheapest and most practical solution. All it required was a single app and a phone holder, and it was ready to go. She could now access Google Maps, Spotify, and other essential Android Auto apps on a simple touchscreen. Here’s how to repurpose your old phone as an Android Auto head unit.
Phone holder
You’ll have no issues if you get the right one
I needed to get a good holder to keep my smartphone in place and easily accessible while driving. I chose ESR’s Omnilock Magnetic Car Charger because I’ve had good experiences with it, and it has all the features I need.
This phone holder attaches to my air-conditioning slats in seconds and offers a secure magnetic grip to lock the phone in place. I like that it has a built-in fan to keep my phone cool on long trips, and an integrated Qi2 wireless charger. The holder plugs into my car’s 12v socket via a cable and offers decent 25W charging speeds.
- Brand
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ESR
- Qi-Certified
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Yes
- Color
-
Black
- Speed
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25W
- Modules
-
Charger, USB-C cable, arm, charging pad
- Compatible Devices
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iPhone, Android
Download Open Headunit app
Just a few easy steps
Next, I downloaded the Open Headunit app from the Google Play Store. It costs around $5, and I think it’s worth it compared to the subscription-based alternatives out there.
Open Headunit is an Android Auto emulator that links to the app and displays all the same information you’d get if you plugged it into your head unit. After downloading the app, I needed to input some settings to get it going.
I needed to choose the language and other settings, like the theme, and display size. The app offers various connection modes, like USB, Wi-Fi, and Self Mode. I chose Self Mode to use my phone as a standalone Android Auto device.
I also needed to choose between portrait and landscape modes for the display. I chose landscape because it offers more screen real estate. Open Headunit was ready to go after giving it permission to access my microphone, speakers, location, etc.
How does Open Headunit perform?
Change the settings for the best results
Open Headunit ran smoothly with instant responsiveness and no lag on my Samsung Galaxy S23 FE. According to the official site, the only requirements are a phone with Android Auto installed and running on Android 4.1 or higher.
The interface mimicked the head unit in my other car, with Google Maps taking up the majority of the display. Part of the display shows the running app, while the settings and other icons are stacked vertically on the right.
I wasn’t impressed with the app layout at the beginning. I needed to go into Android Auto and choose which apps I wanted to be displayed in the Customise Launcher menu. After that, I had no issues using the apps, like Audible, Spotify, and Samsung Music. I enjoyed all my favorite songs and listened to an audiobook story without any disconnections.
I had hands-free access to my address book to make and receive calls using Gemini. Gemini would also read out my messages for me and I could reply by voice without taking my hands off the wheel.
The extensive customization options make Open Headunit a viable choice for drivers with left or right-hand drive cars. It’s worth taking the time to go through them before using the app when driving so everything’s where you want them to be. These include basic settings, like the best screen size for your phone or tablet, the apps you’d like displayed. I created shortcuts to Gemini actions, like opening my gate and garage.
Open Headunit also has other settings to change with simple sliders to get the best experience. I set it to show message notifications, play message chimes, start Android Auto automatically, and start music automatically.
Does Open Headunit have any disadvantages?
Limited connectivity on older cars
I tried it on an older car without Bluetooth and couldn’t integrate the Android Auto functionality with my car’s speakers. It was inconvenient because I could only hear my Spotify music through my phone’s built-in speakers or my earbuds. However, this shouldn’t be an issue on cars which have built-in Bluetooth for connecting phones. Overall, I think Open Headunit is an excellent option if you’d like to upgrade your car’s old infotainment unit on a shoestring budget.
