Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in the Audi, BMW & Skoda (2017+)
Many Audi, BMW and Skoda cars from 2017 onwards already have the hardware for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but the feature was never switched on. It can be activated in software on the factory screen, with no new hardware, keeping the original menus and controls. This activation was done at the Radio King workshop in Dublin 11.
What was done on this car
The factory infotainment was checked for CarPlay-ready hardware, then the feature was enabled in the car’s own software. Nothing was added to the dash and nothing was cut: the original screen, the rotary controller and the steering wheel buttons keep working, and CarPlay and Android Auto appear as another source alongside the factory radio and navigation.
What’s included
- Apple CarPlay & Android Auto — Wireless smartphone mirroring for maps, calls and media.
- Steering controls — Keeps your steering-wheel controls working.
- Navigation — Google Maps and Waze on the big screen.
Will it work on your Audi, BMW or Skoda?
Activation depends on the infotainment unit and its software version, not just the model year: an MMI, iDrive or Columbus unit built with the CarPlay hardware can be switched on, an older unit cannot. The quickest check is a photo of the home screen and the car’s registration sent on WhatsApp. Where the unit is not CarPlay-ready, the alternative is a wireless CarPlay interface fitted behind the factory screen, such as this Audi Q5 CarPlay box.
Price and time
Activation is a single workshop visit, usually well under a day, and the car leaves with CarPlay and Android Auto paired and tested. Send the registration for a fixed price; the service page is Apple CarPlay activation in Ireland.
Book an activation in Dublin
Radio King activates factory Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on Audi, BMW and Skoda models at Unit K4, Rosemount Business Park, Dublin 11, serving Dublin, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow. Get a quote or call 087 911 0423, and see more Audi, BMW and Skoda installs from the workshop.
