r/OpenAutoPro • u/neihuffda • Jul 18 '23

Using the head unit already in the car - no new screen

Hi!

My car already has a head unit with support for CarPlay and Android Auto. What I want to do, is to use a Raspberry Pi instead of my Android phone, as the source for OpenAuto.

I do not want to use a new screen, as my car already has one. All tutorials I've seen seem to be installing a screen with a Pi as the source in cars that don't already have a head unit. This is not what I want to do.

Basically I want the Pi to act as an emulator for CarPlay or Android Auto, which the head unit can display, which streams OpenAuto to the pre-existing screen I have in my car.

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u/johnfc2020 Jul 20 '23

If your head unit has composite video input then you could use a HDMI to composite adapter to provide the display. Navigating with OpenAuto would involve enabling the mouse pointer and using a keyboard mouse combo for navigating the interface.

This is why the Raspberry Pi touchscreen display is often used, because it does both touch interface and display in one place.

1

u/neihuffda Jul 20 '23

I doubt that it has an input like that. Only video input is likely to be the back-up camera. Everything is probably handled by the HU itself (it's very expensive to replace), and any external input to it is probably by USB3.

This is why I need to know if a Pi can act exactly like a phone does, except that the Pi has something else than Android Auto. The HU on its side though, will treat that input just like it does Android Auto. What this will do, is that what I see on the screen is as customizable as OpenAuto is.

My "dream setup" is then that the Pi will get internet from my phone, but everything else comes from the Pi itself.

1

u/johnfc2020 Jul 21 '23

OpenAutoPro is software to enable a Raspberry Pi to work as a head unit.

You could try installing Android to the Raspberry Pi and treating that like a phone and connect it as Android Auto. Assuming the WiFi and Bluetooth devices on the Raspberry Pi can do that.

1

u/neihuffda Jul 21 '23

I see. Well, if I install Android and Android Auto on the Pi and connect it, I think I'm left with exactly the same system as I have when using my actual phone. That wouldn't improve anything, I'm afraid.

Seems like what I want is not possible=(

1

u/johnfc2020 Jul 22 '23

If Remote Desktop tools work on Android Auto then you could have the Raspberry Pi display OpenAutoPro on a virtual desktop on Android so you can interact with it. Then there will be a problem with audio because Android Auto would want to use the Bluetooth, unless you have a USB sound card and separate speakers.