I've been searching the net for some word on when or if Honda will upgrade the Hondalink software to make it Android compatible. While I can link via Bluetooth right now, take calls, and -- I think -- play music via Pandora and take messages, so far I don't think it's capable of doing what I really want to do -- run Google maps. I haven't tried linking it via the USB port, but I'll check that out this weekend. I DID, however, find this news release from Honda which makes me optimistic. It says, in part:

"To initiate Android Auto, Honda drivers will simply connect their compatible Android smartphone to the vehicle's USB port using the cable that came with their phone, allowing them to intuitively access supported apps and features using the car's in-dash display and voice controls. After connecting the compatible Android phone to their Honda vehicle, drivers will be able to "project" their smartphone experience onto the car's in-dash display, giving them access to apps and services that have been optimized for the vehicle environment."

What I'm hoping is that there is someone out there on this board, a dealer, or a Honda representative, who will clue us owners in on what is happening and when or if we can expect our systems to be upgraded.

Here's a link to Wednesday's news release: Honda Press Releases - Honda Vehicles to Seamlessly Integrate Android Smartphone Features with Android Auto - June 25, 2014

 

I use an android phone and Google Map as my main navigation so I really welcome the news of Android Auto. I will see if 2015 Honda Fit will support this new feature. I hope it will simply be a firmware update to the existing 2015s. No way can they force people to buy a new car every year or two just to keep up with the advancement in electronics.

 

Supposedly (I've read on one of Honda's own sites that it IS coming) the same sort of integration that is currently available for the iPhone with that version of the HondaLink apps is also coming to Android, including use of the phone for navigation through the built-in display. The current HondaLink app for Android is still "first generation", and we're going to need the new generation stuff...

What I cannot find is any sort of ETA on the new Android app suite and a single reliable place to watch to see whether it has actually come out already.

The price on this is going to be a bit steep at like $70 or $80, but for what it will allow me to do, I'm prepared to pay this.

So maybe someone else can chime in with an ETA or where we can watch for it?

 

I am being patient in my purchase. I own a 2008 and I want to buy a 2015 but I won't do it unless it will be updated with Android Auto. I will not buy something that will outdated in just a couple of months. I just emailed my local dealer and asked him if it would be updated and here is his response:

"I looked into this a little bit further and starting with all 2015 Honda models, every vehicle, the Fit included will be prepped ready for the Android Auto software when it becomes available. "

Take this with a grain of salt though, it is a salesman. He also tried to get me to come in and put a deposit down on it. Nope. Not until it is updated. I love my 2008 Fit but I also love Android (I am a tech geek) so if Honda doesn't update the 2015 with Android Auto, then I will be forced to buy a different car with it.

 

Wise move to hold off. My compatible Android phone on my new 2015 EX is very disappointing. Features that are supposed to work, don't work properly. Caller ID works. About 30 percent of the time. Bluetooth streaming works. But skips, even with music on the device. Display works. But displays the wrong information. So far, I just get stonewalled by the dealer and Honda as to when the problems are going to be fixed. I don't even want to go into what the salesman said the unit would do.

 

Sorry man, that sucks

You think with about a 75% share of the market (50% in USA), they would actually support Android.

 

Add me in that Android market share. Right now I use the bluetooth to connect to my Samsung Note 4 and it works well for calls and texting. I haven't tried streaming audio with it since I use the USB flash drive for that.

My previous car 2012 Civic Hybrid with Navi was flakey with bluetooth with audio so I quit using it and just stick with USB flash drive instead.

Heck, I haven't tried using the CDs with this car yet. lol

 

I doubt that we will see Android Auto or Apple CarPlay in the 2015 model. It just is not cost effective for Honda to upgrade these Head Units... I suspect the only thing you may see at some point is the release of HondaLink Apps for Android... and this really won't buy you much (other than maybe being able to get the Nav App for $60 which is not very good from what everyone has said). If you want CarPlay or Android Auto type functionality I suspect it will be necessary to swap out your current unit for a 2016 or 2017 model when available. I would love to get CarPlay but I just don't think it will happen via a firmware upgrade for this unit.


At this point I am just hoping that someone finds a work around so that we could use 3rd party Navigation apps via the HDMI cable. That's about all I would really want at this point anyway. The new Pioneer Units that support CarPlay are running around $1200-$1300 - way too expensive for swapping out just for that functionality. I suspect the same will be true (cost prohibitive) as pointed out earlier in this post for a 2016 model Honda unit that might add the functionality.

 

As long as buyers are paying more for the EX-L Navi and $100/year updates, I don't think you'll see more than the crappy HondaLink nav app. As far as other Android HondaLink support, I don't expect to see it for any except Nexus and Google Play devices. And I don't expect any firmware updates for 2015 models.

 

Be cool if we can hack the firmware and load our own like we can with Android phones. Ah well, guess it's for another discussion anyway.

$100 for map updates? It's usually $150. Right?

 

I thought it was $100/year. If not, I stand corrected.

 

Yeah, I just went to the Honda website for Navi updates and so far it's all $150.

I usually wait a couple of years before doing the update. Sometimes I get e-mail specials for $99 if I waited awhile.

Roads out here in Bay Area really don't change quickly enough for me to keep updating it every year but if I am a cross country traveler then yeah I'll do that.

Supposedly Honda promised a Navi app for Android phone so we can use it via HDMI.

 

This is exactly what they will do...
It will be the "feature" for 2016 or 17 or whenever that will differentiate newer model Fits.
Can't imagine Honda running a firmware update for an already released vehicle. Thats like volunteering to do extra work on their cars, without any benefit. There is no over-the-air update like a Tesla. For those who think Honda was so generous to fix the early bumper problem, it was to cover their own asses, and so they could say "ALL new Fits are IIHS top safety picks". I wouldn't expect them to do the same for the radio, as it would have zero benefits to them.

 

You're probably right. When I bought the 2012 Civic Hybrid with Navi in November 2012 (car sat on the lot for almost a year due to slumping economy) I figured the 2013 models wouldn't be too different and took advantage of the deep discounts and 0.9% Honda financing so I took the deal. A month later Honda announced the new 2013 Civic which took me by surprise. I didn't like the exterior but the interior was a nice improvement. And they've added the back up camera and more bluetooth capabilities for the MID display such as pandora and texting. I was hoping Honda would offer a firmware upgrade to add those features but like you said it's feature locked with the model year of the car so there is no incentive for Honda to upgrade them.

Which is a bummer but that's way it goes.

 

Does your Note 4 display caller ID? My "compatible" Galaxy only displays about 30% of the callers ID's. Weird that it displays some and not all, or just none at all. Have you tried streaming bluetooth audio yet? That is supposed to be compatible as well but freezes and skips. Both with online audio streaming, and files on the device. FRUSTRATING!

 

The caller ID works 100% fine with my Note 4. I will try stream something with it this weekend and see how it goes.

I have noticed on occasion my phone's bluetooth won't connect. I end up having to disable it on my phone and then enable it which works. Odd.

 

FWIW, the EX head unit Bluetooth works 100% with both mine and my wife's $15 prepaid AT&T z222 flip phones (made by ZTE). Connects solid every time and never drops. In fact, it works solid with the phones in the family room and the car in the attached garage. I just mention it as a point for perspective. Of course, we don't stream music from them--that's on a USB flash drive.

 

I do actually stream music from my phone via bluetooth, using Google Music, and mine is perfectly smooth. I have my entire music library out in the cloud on Google Music , and using the stock music player in 4.4 (Kit Kat) and now 5.0 (Lollipop), streaming from the cloud, I get no glitches or hesitation or skips or anything, ever. It would only get better with local storage -- no chance of interruption due to 3G/4G signal inconsistency.

Further, pretty much everything works fine with my Nexus 5 connecting via bluetooth. It connects very quickly every time, stays connected, doesn't drop out, takes steering wheel controls correctly for music/podcast control, takes voice dialing commands correctly and passes on to the phone, and receives and reads out loud text messages that have arrived. I can then reply to those through the system with the quick reply list. Finally, all of the expected metadata from MP3 and podcasts appears correctly on the display.

My carrier is Straight Talk, a no contract AT&T reseller.

To get all of this working, I did absolutely nothing more than pair the phone as directed and accept all of the "do you want to enable/allow ____?" prompts on both sides.

I feel for the guy who is having bluetooth connectivity issues and parts not working, but mine has worked perfectly as far as bluetooth should be expected to work. We would get even better integration if Honda were to finally get HondaLink working for Android as they promised long ago, but that involves HDMI. No further feature improvement is likely with standard Bluetooth.

EDIT: I failed to mention that caller ID works for me. I do get a visual on the 7" car screen of the identity of the incoming caller as long as the phone itself is able to determine that (i.e., obviously it won't work for anonymous calls, where caller ID is blocked by the originating party).

 

Thanks for this detailed report, Chris. All these "phone" things work with our flip phones, too. I think from your and my experiences, we can probably determine the Bluetooth implementation in the Honda head unit isn't at fault when there's a Bluetooth problem.

 

I also agree with your assessment. My Samsung Note 4 bluetooth sometimes won't link up with my home phone which uses cell as "landline" calls. The cell phone is doing the same thing with the car on occasion so I blame the phone not the car.

Hopefully when I get my Note 4 rooted with a custom ROM it'll work better with it.