Apple Car Play and Android Auto rely on your phone to do the heavy lifting. That means that your phone must be connected to the vehicle to use apps like Waze and Google Maps via Apple Car Play in your case. Apple Car Play is built into your phone already. You don’t need to download any extra app. Just plug the phone into the car via the USB port (or connect wirelessly if your model supports it) and then your phone will prompt you to allow permission for CarPlay to have access. Make sure you give all the appropriate permissions on the prompts that pop up on your phone. Then the Apple Car Play interface will pop up on your cars screen. You can then from the cars screen select the Waze App or Google Maps. I do think that there is some defaulting behavior that happens when you plug your phone in as mine always (or usually) loads up Google Maps or whatever map option I was using last when phone is plugged in. I personally hate wireless options as they are buggy and not 100% reliable and so I just prefer to plug my phone in. This way it’s also charging and far more reliably just works without fuss. Wireless charging is also awful, another reason to plug on. Wireless charging causes your phone to overheat and can’t even keep up with battery drain when running map applications.

 

Not sure if you will see this after a year has gone by, but I drive a 2023 Hyundai Kona Ltd. I have a big drive (for me) yesterday and when I plugged my iPHone into the USB, I had to then figure out which dash button to select - "Map" "Nav" or "Media'. I chose "Media" and the blue Waze icon showed up and I thought all was good. (the destination was already on my ihone via Waze). But when I turned the radio on, the Waze directions/map disappeared. I had to start all over vis the media button to get Waze back. This is not how Waze works on our 2023 Mazda CX5 so I'm at my wit's end. I ended up pulling over , unplugged Waze/iPHone and used the Kona's nav for my trip so I could play music on the radio on my very long drive without losing the navigation. So frustrating.

 

Hi,

Much thanks.
Very helpful writeup.

Isn't there "any" way to use WAZE on Nav. Screen without the iPhone being
plugged in ?

Bob

 

Yes if your car has GPS in it but it can be slower. look up on YouTube, this is what I did and I found good answers there.

 

No. And I know you think you want that but trust me you don’t. Any Nav system built into a car is basically outdated day 1. A budy of mine had an Audi years ago that had google maps built in. It was so cool until you used it and it was just janky and so behind the mobile phone Google maps. Apple Car Play and Android Auto liberate your car from outdated maps and feature by relying on your phone for the latest and most up to date apps and features. Your phone also has a way better connection to the internet that is also updated with the latest modems and protocols.

Caveat to all of the above is wireless Apple Car Play and Wireless Android Auto. Still needs your phone but connects wirelessly.