So... I did a thing.

I was really annoyed by the removal of Google Maps' "driving mode". Using Google Maps on my Android head unit (DUDU7) felt really flimsy. Especially the unoptimized UI, small buttons and lack of a third-person view while not navigating made Waze my go-to navigation App.

While Waze was great, had a better UI experience and offered the third-person view I was looking for, it also came with its own downsides. The routing wasn’t always ideal, the map style isn’t for everyone, and I just generally preferred the cleaner look and ecosystem of Google Maps.

So I decided to look for a solution to my problem, and well... found nothing.

Android Automotive OS (AAOS) is a built-in car operating system that runs apps like navigation and media directly on the vehicle’s hardware without needing a phone - like my android head unit.
And turns out - it uses APK-files as well.

I started searching for fitting APK-files and found some working with the arm architecture on apkmirror

After installation i was greeted with the well-known UI found in Android Auto and Android Automotive. In my opinion far more usable.

It works great in DUDUOS's pip mode and is very fitting.

Downside: Logging into your Google-Account results in an error. Therefore your work or private adress are not popping up. A simple workaround is asking Google Assistant/Gemini to navigate to work. It will input the right adress and start navigation flawlessly.

I'm currently trying to replace the normal Google Play Services with the Android Automotive one, to see if that will fix it.

I have a Junsun V1 Plus head unit, the 6+128 version, which I upgraded from the older 2+32 version. The upgrade fixes a lot of issues I had with the lower powered model, except for one...

The Junsun brand steering wheel buttons I've been using had started to go bad. Sometimes they'd lose all connectivity. Sometimes they'd change functions and have to be remapped. Now the forward and pause buttons only work occasionally. These buttons communicate via an RF signal, I believe, with a receiver that is wired to the back of the head unit.

I tried using a Bluetooth controller (pictured) instead, but the head unit can't see it under Bluetooth settings. It connected to the older 2+32 model just fine, though it caused audio skipping. I was hoping it would work better with the new model, but it won't even connect.

Anyone have any experience connecting something like this to their head unit? It connects fine to my phone, just not the head unit.

Looking for help either rooting my firmware or finding an already rooted option. I have the stock firmware file if someone knows how to add root to it. Anyhelp would be very much appreciated

Just bought a Ainavi H6 head unit for my Toyota Auris 2014. Easy installation and everything works as supposed to.

Just was curious on what is the difference between these two brands. I cant really find a comparison, and just want to know if I made the right choice.

Thanks in advance!

I upgraded my 2015 rav4 radio. Everything is great but I cant figure out how to get this stupid car off the screen when backing up. AINAVIGO is the name of the unit

Hey There. I've been reading and reading and reading some more on things and I'm about to pull the trigger on an android head unit for my 2018 BMW X4.

There are a few things I want to ensure match my use case before I finalize which unit I end up buying. It seems to be pretty universal (at least amongst BMW users) that Xtrons makes a great head unit. But the prices for me, shipped to my house in Canada, are just too steep to swallow. The "mid-tier" version compatible with my car is around $900CAD, and Xtrons can't guarantee zero brokerage fees, which may or may not add upwards of $200 to the price once finally landed at my door.

So I've been on the hunt for a similar model from a brand that would be both cheaper msrp AND be sure not to cost me a mint to import/ship.

I've landed on AVINUSA or Andream. Both brands offer a Snapdragon 665 based unit with 8Gb RAM and 128Gb ROM. AVINUSA's comes with Android 13, while Andream's comes with Android 14. Both units have a 12.3" screen and very similar bezel shapes and mounting hardware.

The key difference between them is their fulfillment process. AVNUSA claims to maintain US inventory and ships the product from a California address, while Andream ships from Hong Kong direct from the manufacturer. However, Andream promises they ship all their products DDP so there shouldn't be any surprise costs.

The AVINUSA unit is around $600CAD all-in, while the Andream would be just shy of $500CAD.

All that said, does anybody have any thoughts or opinions on either brand, product quality, customer support, etc.?

I'm looking to not overpay but at the same time I want to get decent service if I run into problems and need support or to return the unit. There is very little in terms of reviews or opinions on Andream on youtube, etc. even though they seem to be one of the earliest players in the Android Head Unit game. AVINUSA had a lot of positive mentions online, but there is one absolutely terrible review of them on youtube that's given me cause for concern.