Mirrorlink Android Volkswagen. Get to Know: MirrorLink

Get to Know: MirrorLink

Over the last few weeks we have been looking at 3rd party, aftermarket options for connecting your digital life to your vehicle. While Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are wonderful options, they are also proprietary. For this reason, we thought we should take a moment and outline a completely open source option. Though Nokia kicked it off, MirrorLink is a standard maintained by the Car Connectivity Consortium, which counts among its members major auto manufacturers like GM, Honda, Hyundai, Toyota, and Volkswagen, and smartphone makers LG, Sony, HTC, and Samsung. It has evolved, then, into the potentially perfect mix between industries. Here they’ve all worked together to define standards and a certification process that ensures apps meet global distraction guidelines. If apps are safe, they become MirrorLink approved and can be displayed on any MirrorLink-equipped car.

Open VS Closed

Open and Closed are terms used to describe software platforms. “Closed” platforms are those that use proprietary frameworks that are not freely used an manipulated by outside developers. They usually offer a toolkit that allows third parties to make their applications work on the platform, but they do not allow outside sources to modify the user experience in any way. Closed systems for your vehicle include Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

An open system means it can be used, changed, and modified in any way and still work perfectly. In the case of MirrorLink, anyone can create an application and have it made available to all users, and on top of that, any car manufacturer can create their own apps and make them only available on their own cars. It gives the best of both worlds without completely locking down the system.

What Does MirrorLink Do?

MirrorLink makes the promise of the connected car. Simply connect any MirrorLink-enabled smartphone to any MirrorLink-enabled vehicle, and take advantage of easier and more responsible access to navigation, music and phone apps while you drive. The apps run on the smartphone, but you see them on the dashboard display and hear the audio via the car’s speakers.

With MirrorLink, huge icons make apps easy to use and you can control navigation, music and more as easily as turning on a blinker. Designed for maximum interoperability between a wide range of cars and smartphones, MirrorLink makes connected driving easier, safer and more enjoyable.

PROs and CONs

The pros are pretty simple. Basically any phone (other than Apple or Android) will work with MirrorLink. Since Apple and Android already have their own in car options, this is no big loss. If you use a phone that does not have the huge foundation of support that these two companies have, this software solution is for you.

The cons are just as obvious. Since this standard is supporting phone makers that make up a small portion of the overall smartphone market, there will be less adoption. Less adoption means less iteration on the software. Less demand means fewer apps. Less apps often means the early demise of a software platform. Will MirrorLink survive the onslaught from the heavy hitters in Silicon Valley? Only time will tell, but competition is always a good thing.

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How to use MirrorLink: The ultimate guide to smartphone-car integration

Are you looking for a smartphone integration system to mirror your Android screen to your car infotainment system? Then MirrorLink is all you need.

Mirrorlink is a car-based integration system allowing you to easily access the information and entertainment apps on your Android screen from your car’s infotainment system while driving.

Although Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are already available on the market, there has been skyrocketing demand for quick access to music apps, navigation apps, and data on the go as people have become more reliant on smartphones over the years.

And that’s why MirrorLink has grown in popularity over the course of time and is putting up a tough fight against the top players in the industry like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

So what makes MirrorLink so different? Well, while Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, the closed proprietary systems, come with built-in functions such as voice-control, navigation, and external apps, MirrorLink is open source.

One interesting point worth noting here is that MirrorLink has been acquired by Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC), which strives to connect smartphones of all operating systems and cars. Currently, MirrorLink is available on more smartphones and cars than its competitors.

Which cars, phones, and apps does MirrorLink support?

MirrorLink-compatible cars

Following are the most popular MirrorLink enabled cars:

• Volkswagen
• Suzuki
• Toyota
• Mercedes-Benz
• Honda
• Hyundai
• Citroen
• Peugeot
• Fiat

For more information about MirrorLink-enabled cars, check out the official MirrorLink cars page.

MirrorLink-compatible smartphones

Most Android smartphone brands are compatible with MirrorLink. Check out the below list of MirrorLink-compatible smartphones:

Check out the MirrorLink phones page for the compatible phone models.

MirrorLink-enabled apps

Following is a partial list of MirrorLink-enabled applications:

• Audioteka
• Autobot Retrofit
• AutoRadio
• Baidu
• BringGo
• Car Mode
• Car Navigation by Sygic
• clever-tanken
• Customer Link
• Dash Radio with RockScout
• Deezer Music with RockScout
• Discover MyDS
• DoggCatcher with RockScout
• DoorBird
• Ease2Pay
• Essence Comparateur Carburant
• Glympse
• HTC Car
• iCoyote
• iHeartRadio with RockScout
• Kia Tmap
• LGMirrorDrive
• MappyAUTO
• miRoamer
• Moving Positions App
• Parkopedia
• Player FM with RocketScout
• Spotify with RocketScout
• The Guardian with RocketScout
• Weather Crave

For the complete list, check out MirrorLink apps page.

How to use MirrorLink?

MirrorLink provides an interactive dashboard on the car’s infotainment system screen. Although the name suggests MirrorLink mirrors the Android screen, it actually has its own interface with the car as well.

But you can mirror your Android screen to the car infotainment screen too with MirrorLink, to view and interact with your Android device on the car’s display.

What makes the MirrorLink interface so special? The best part of MirrorLink is its driver-friendly icons which gives a seamless driving experience while accessing favorite apps on the move.

Among the wide selection of apps, there are a few fan favorites like Spotify, RockScout, Tencent, Glympse, and Kia Tmap. There are also apps dedicated to particular smartphone brands viz., Skoda MFA Pro, Skoda Remote Control, LG MirrorDrive, and HTC Car.

Smartphone users of these brands can install the corresponding apps from the Play Store. These apps enable users to fully control their car’s infotainment systems with smartphone devices. Here are a few things you can do with MirrorLink-enabled apps:

• Navigation control
• Radio control
• Volume control
• Playing music from external storage (SD card or USB)

In the following sections, I’ll walk you through the steps to turn on and turn off MirrorLink on your Android.

How to turn on MirrorLink?

To turn on MirrorLink and use your Android device on your car’s display, connect your Android device to the car using a USB cable. Follow the below steps to turn it on:

Step 1: Once you connect your Android device to your car using a USB cable, go to your Android phone’s home screen

Step 2: Open the apps drawer and go to Settings

Step 3: Select MirrorLink

If you can’t locate MirrorLink in Settings, check out for available networks in Networks or tap the MirrorLink connection notification.

Step 4: Finally, check the Connect to vehicle via USB checkbox

How to turn off MirrorLink?

Most MirrorLink users find turning it off really tedious. Sometimes users just couldn’t navigate their way around to turn it off, or it keeps turning on automatically. But there are workarounds to turn off MirrorLink.

From Settings:

Step 1: Go to the Settings app on your Android phone

Step 2: Locate MirrorLink in Settings or search for MirrorLink in the top search bar

Step 3: Select MirrorLink

Step 4: Turn off the toggle switch to turn off MirrorLink

Simple, isn’t it? If this method doesn’t work for you, try the next method.

From Applications Manager:

Step 1: Open the application manager on your Android device

Step 2: Enable viewing of system apps

Step 3: Locate MirrorLink (Samsung MirrorLink 1.1 on Samsung devices)

Step 4: Select it and disable MirrorLink

These two methods work for most MirrorLink users. Try it out by yourself and let me know in the Комментарии и мнения владельцев section if you were able to turn off MirrorLink with these workarounds.

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FAQs

How do I enable MirrorLink on Android?

Go to Settings Connections connection settings Mirrorlink. Once you tap MirrorLink, you’ll see MirrorLink open up in the next window. Check the ‘Connect to car via USB’ option and MirrorLink will be enabled on your Android device.

Which phones work with MirrorLink?

MirrorLink is compatible with Symbian and Android smartphones. HTC, Huawei, LG, Sony, Fujitsu, and Samsung are some of the MirorLink-compatible phones. Note that MirrorLink is currently not enabled on Apple iPhones.

Is MirrorLink an app?

MirrorLink is a car-based technology that helps you view and control a variety of apps from your car’s infotainment system display when connecting your Android to car dash via a USB cable. With the help of touchscreen, steering wheel controls, and voice activation, you can control the apps on your car dash.

MirrorLink – Smart automotive integration

MirrorLink has grown in popularity and it is actually giving Android Auto and Apple CarPlay a run for their money. With its interactive dashboard, drivers can quickly access their mobile device’s data and apps, especially with the large driver-friendly icons.

MirrorLink is available in a wide range of cars and smartphones, including HTC, Fujitsu, Huawei, and Sony. With the smartphone and car-specific apps, users can do a lot on their car infotainment system, such as navigation control, radio control, volume control, playing music, etc.

Using MirrorLink is really simple–all you need to do is to connect your phone to the car with a USB cable and enable MirrorLink from Settings. To turn off, navigate to MirrorLink from Settings or Applications Manager.

That’s all you needed to know about MirrorLink. I hope I brought some value to your Android usage. Let me know in the Комментарии и мнения владельцев section which smartphone-car integration system you use. Until next time, take care and stay safe! Cheers!

Featured image: Photo by MW Studios from Pexels

Kian loves sharing new things and new products with her readers. Her unbiased product reviews help others make Smart buying decisions. And as an English educator, Kian enjoys sharing her knowledge and life experience with her students. She avoids burnout and stress by playing lots of computer games!

Top 7 Reasons Why You Should Use MirrorLink Connected Sygic Navigation in Your Volkswagen, SEAT, Skoda, Peugeot, or Citroen

The built-in navigation in most cars are bundled inexpensive packages, with limited license validity, outdated user experience, no online features that include traffic information, and outdated maps. Sygic GPS Navigation, developed by European company Sygic can be easily connected to the infotainment system via MirrorLink, bringing an Android mobile app experience to the car’s big screen.

Without a doubt, the safest way that you can operate your navigation is from the built-in screen in your car. It is tailored to fit into the car’s interior, so you can control it and not lose sight of the road in front of you.

Online features Even in this connected world, most cars are lacking satisfactory online services, including traffic, police radars, and current speed limits.

In Sygic GPS Navigation, maps work offline, but you have access to the latest traffic information from hundreds of millions of users updated every 2 minutes. You also don’t have to worry about the speed limits or police radars. You can see them in advance as part of the route in the navigation and adjust your speed accordingly.

Lifetime free maps updates Updating the built-in navigation in your car might be a difficult job. If you can do the update manually, it is often too complicated and time-consuming. If it is done in the car service, it might be connected to additional charges and is not done on a regular basis. The validity of the update service can also be limited.

The maps in Sygic GPS Navigation are updated free for life, automatically, and with your minimum interaction needed. When connected to the large screen in your car via MirrorLink, you don’t have to worry about unexpected changes while en route anymore.

Add-ons Most factory navigation software is static. This means that, during their lifetime, you shouldn’t expect any significant updates adding new features or innovative enhancements.

Sygic GPS Navigation literally brings the mobile app experience to the dashboard of your Volkswagen, SEAT, Skoda, Peugeot, or Citroen. It is a dynamic app with a dedicated team constantly adding new features and add-ons, including Dashcam, Cockpit, Voice Control, and Head-Up display.

One navigation experience The more cars you use, the more built-in navigation systems you have to learn to operate. Each has a specific user interface, design, controls, features, maps, and layout.

However, wherever your smartphone is and whatever car you drive, the same Sygic GPS Navigation will be with you. When connected via MirrorLink, it shows up in the same experience across all infotainment systems.

Design Most car navigation systems are purpose-built. This means that they are more of a “work tool” than an all-around experience. The design often looks outdated, colors are faded, and the instructions are unclear.

In contrast, the design of Sygic GPS Navigation allows you to enjoy the full 3D premium looking maps with more than a thousand landmark buildings globally. Each piece of information you see is easy to understand and doesn’t take your attention away from the road.

Download Sygic GPS Navigation for Android with MirrorLink for your Volkswagen, SEAT, Skoda, Peugeot, or Citroen and try it free with no commitment for 7 days.

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VW APP-CONNECT Upgrade

If you are looking to integrate your phone features to the car look no further. App-Connect is the latest smartphone interface to let you access your phone Apps safely and easily. You can control calls, messages, navigation and even Spotify playlists with voice commands via Siri or Google Now This Upgrade will give you Apple CarPlay, MirrorLink and Android Auto

How it works:

• Link your compatible smartphone to the car via a USB cable in the USB port and approved apps automatically appear in full colour on the central screen.
• Control the Apps by pressing the Voice button on the multi-function steering wheel, which activates your phone’s Voice Control (either Siri or Google Now). You can also use the scroll button on the centre console.
• Using Voice Control, you can ask the system to make a call and listen to and dictate messages. For safety reasons, the MMI screen won’t display the text so your attention can remain on the road.

Depending on your car specification the APP-CONNECT Upgrade will require activation, software and/or hardware.

Apple CarPlay

What is Apple CarPlay and how does it work? If you have an iPhone 5 or later and your car features Apple CarPlay, then you’re good to go. After plugging in your phone via the USB port (CarPlay may be available via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi in the future), you’ll be able to access several functions through the familiar Apple interface on the car infotainment screen. CarPlay gives access to Maps, Phone functions, Messages and Music as well as other Apps including Spotify, Podcasts, Audiobooks and Apps developed by car manufacturers. It can be controlled via Siri, the touch-screen, or by using various knobs, dials and buttons in the car.

MirrorLink

What is MirrorLink and how does it work? MirrorLink is the other option when it comes to smartphone compatibility with your car. The Car Connectivity Consortium, made of various automotive and electronic manufacturers jointly developed MirrorLink. MirrorLink works like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but is available on a range of smartphones, including Sony, HTC, Samsung and LG. As well as being able to use many popular apps including Spotify, and via MirrorLink, as well as the usual maps and phone connectivity, drivers can use a MirrorLink-compatible app to monitor driving data, so you can have a back-seat driver with you at all times.

Android Auto

What is Android Auto and how does it work? Broadly speaking, the basic features of Android Auto are similar to Apple CarPlay, but it’s Google’s solution to bring your smartphone features into your car. To get started, you’ll need the Android Auto App and then just plug your phone into your car USB port. Like CarPlay, Android Auto can also be controlled via the touch-screen, voice control, or car’s controls. CarPlay supports the standard message system, whereas Android Auto can support several different ones, including WhatsApp, Skype, and Google Hangouts. Overall, there is access to more third party apps through Android Auto, with the most popular likely to be Google Maps.

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