Repeatable CarPlay nav malfunction

[dml105]

Off and on over the past three years, CarPlay navigation has mistaken where the car is currently located. Then it would magically fix itself the next time I got in the car. As of this month, CarPlay has begun failing again, only updating the location every 4 seconds or so (periodically), and completely losing track of which direction the car is facing. It seems to default to north. When this happens, CarPLay navigation is completely unusable. If I delete my phone from the car and add it back, it works correctly, but only for that trip. Next trip is messed up again.

But here's the weird thing I've noticed: it always works correctly on my first drive of the day. If I drive somewhere again within say an hour, it fails 100% of the time. If I wait several hours, i.e., spend the day at work, and return to the car, it works correctly on that trip. But if I again travel somewhere on a second drive too soon afterwards, it fails 100% of the time.

What is going on in my car or my phone that would cause CarPlay to fail if I drive too soon after concluding a prior trip?

Others having similar problems:
https://9to5mac.com/2023/10/16/carplay-apple-maps-gps-bugs/
https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/carplay-gps-issues.28345/

FWIW, I recently went on a trip and rented a Mazda. CarPlay with my phone worked fine there, once I got it connected. When I got back to my Mach-e, the problem returned.

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[AliRafiee]

I’ve reported the bug to Apple. along with other bugs.
It seems that sometimes it uses the phone’s GPS antenna instead of the car’s antenna. When it starts glitching again, try hiding your phone under the armrest and see if that fixes it

 

[dml105]

I’ve reported the bug to Apple. along with other bugs.
It seems that sometimes it uses the phone’s GPS antenna instead of the car’s antenna. When it starts glitching again, try hiding your phone under the armrest and see if that fixes it

Tried it this evening and it made no difference. First drive after work (10 miles) CarPlay nav worked just fine. Went into a store and came out 20 minutes later, and CarPlay nav misbehaved.

 

[peterlhansen]

Does anyone have any documented evidence that the car ever provides GPS coordinates to the iPhone? I don’t believe it ever does, but I’m not 100% certain.

 

[JeffGo]

Does anyone have any documented evidence that the car ever provides GPS coordinates to the iPhone? I don’t believe it ever does, but I’m not 100% certain.

The CarPlay spec calls this out. However, that doesn't mean there isn't some problem with the phone's CarPlay software or the car's handoff not reporting the GPS antenna.

It does seem to be the case that the phone never uses the car's antenna. I have a wallet attached to my iPhone 15 pro (worked the same on the previous 13 pro), and if the phone is in my pants pocket with the wallet out, it will have more problems. But sometimes it just doesn't matter and either it works or I have to move the phone "out in the open". I think the 15 is a bit better in this regard. And weather conditions also factor into this.

A friend worked at a well-known nav company and he suggested I put my phone on the armrest (he was in the back seat at the time the phone "lost position"). That immediately corrected it.

 

[dml105]

Does anyone have any documented evidence that the car ever provides GPS coordinates to the iPhone? I don’t believe it ever does, but I’m not 100% certain.

Yes.

Sensor information is important to CarPlay.​

​

CarPlay needs location information from the vehicle so that the map's app works well. Speed and GNSS information can be provided. Every vehicle needs to know its speed. Speed information is used by iPhone for dead reckoning and is critical if the vehicle does not have a GPS or GLONASS receiver. GNSS information includes latitude and longitude if the vehicle has that capability.​

​

Satellite location information from the vehicle is used in addition to the iPhone's sensors to determine the location of the user. This data from the vehicle may be better since a larger antenna can be integrated into the car. This is the recommended configuration since it will result in the best maps user experience. Sending satellite location information to iPhone is required if the vehicle has the technology on board. GNSS information is also required for any system supporting wireless CarPlay since it's more likely that the phone will be in a pocket, bag, or somewhere where the phone itself has poor reception.​

​

What are the requirements for connecting an iPhone to the head unit? Apple CarPlay supports both wired and wireless connections. We're excited about the addition of wireless CarPlay since it offers a very convenient experience for customers. Users can leave their phones in pockets and bags, which is especially nice on a short drive.​

https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2016/722/?time=789



New data:

I took the car out for a drive today, and as expected, the first drive was fine. Phone was in my pocket as it usually is. I went into a store and came out 5 minutes later, and again, CarPlay did not know where I was. But the native nav system worked fine. I pulled over and reset the headunit (10s down-volume and next track) and without powering down the car or the phone, CarPlay correctly displayed the location and direction again.

It's the car.

But why?

 

[dml105]

For what it's worth, the last OTA I received was 24-PU0121-FTDI-FX (Battery and Remote Start Enhancements) on July 3. I don't think the problem has been going on since then, but it's possible. It only rears its ugly head when I use the car a second time within maybe 2 hours of a first trip.

 

[garyd9]

Yes.

Sensor information is important to CarPlay.​

​

...​

GPS data from the car to carplay is recommended, but not required.

Correction: GPS data from the vehicle is required for wireless carplay.

(source: https://devstreaming-cdn.apple.com/...22_developing_carplay_systems_part_1.pdf?dl=1)

 

[azerik]

Except when my CP maps is freaking out so it all wireless CP from what I can tell. My display goes full chop if I flip back and forth to another app, sometimes even skip track skips out and doesn't skip like the phone is ignoring everything. I've had much better success in the last few months when the phone does wig out that it recovers within a minute or two. Previously it'd be shot for the drive.

 

[peterlhansen]

The CarPlay spec calls this out. However, that doesn't mean there isn't some problem with the phone's CarPlay software or the car's handoff not reporting the GPS antenna.

It does seem to be the case that the phone never uses the car's antenna. I have a wallet attached to my iPhone 15 pro (worked the same on the previous 13 pro), and if the phone is in my pants pocket with the wallet out, it will have more problems. But sometimes it just doesn't matter and either it works or I have to move the phone "out in the open". I think the 15 is a bit better in this regard. And weather conditions also factor into this.

A friend worked at a well-known nav company and he suggested I put my phone on the armrest (he was in the back seat at the time the phone "lost position"). That immediately corrected it.

Yes, I’ve had the “phone in my pants” problem as well, which adds to my belief that the phone never uses the car GPS. Pulling it out of my pants most always makes things better.

 

[dml105]

Yes, I’ve had the “phone in my pants” problem as well, which adds to my belief that the phone never uses the car GPS. Pulling it out of my pants most always makes things better.

Except in this case, leaving the phone in my pocket or having it out made no difference. Resetting the screen brought the nav back.

It’s the car

 

[srogers]

Special Service Message (SSM) 52574 is supposed to address some of these issues and should be released in October. You can read more about it in this thread. SSM 52574

 

[azerik]

Gonna hold my breath. They announced this in March. Kinda like BC1.3 was last summer. ?

 

[dml105]

Special Service Message (SSM) 52574 is supposed to address some of these issues and should be released in October. You can read more about it in this thread. SSM 52574

Thanks. So this is a widespread issue?

That sucks.

 

[peterlhansen]

GPS data from the car to carplay is recommended, but not required.

Correction: GPS data from the vehicle is required for wireless carplay.

(source: https://devstreaming-cdn.apple.com/...22_developing_carplay_systems_part_1.pdf?dl=1)

Interesting presentation from 2016. While it does say that location data from the car is required for wireless operation, it doesn’t tell us that the iPhone actually ever uses that data. They may have been anticipating that many charging locations in the car are not ideal for GPS reception, that a wired phone has more flexibility as to where it is located. I still find this to be a mystery! I wonder if there is more up to date information available…

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