Ducato - Apple car play - Sat Nav location fix

[Andy MacD]

My new Adria has the updated Fiat radio with Car Play.

Used it for the first time today and while I got my iPhone connected and running google maps and the map was displayed on the screen the location fix kept wandering up to a mile or so from where I was. Periodically it would “find” itself again for 5 mins or so then get lost again. Disconnected my phone from the unit and google maps on my phone worked perfectly. Tried my wife’s iPhone and exactly the same, works till we connect to the unit and then it loses itself. It’s as if the Fiat unit is disabling the satellite fix somehow.

Can’t find anything on the radio unit, instructions or on the iPhones to explain. Don’t have the issue with my wife’s VW so must be something to do with the Fiat unit.

Anyone come across this, how did you fix it?

Thanks

 

[Pausim]

I regularly use Car Play and have never had that problem. It looks like the phone is losing it’s GPS fix. Try moving the phone around the dash to see whether you can get better reception, GPS satellite signals are very weak. The other thought is that the phone is picking up interference from being plugged in. Perhaps the wire screening has been compromised. My head unit is a Pioneer not a Fiat one.

 

[Andy MacD]

Been looking into this. Loads of discussion on Honda, Ford, Porsche as well as Ducato forums that I have read so this is a known and widespread issue not only here but in US.

I understand when you connect your iPhone to a CarPlay head unit the phone takes it’s GPS feed from the head unit, not the phone. This can lead to a mismatch causing position drift. This could be crap but reported from many sources.

Seems a bigger issue with manufacturer fitted units than aftermarket. The motor manufacturers blame Apple, Apple say nothing to do with us. Stalemate.

It seems from what I have read all we can do is hope and wait for an update to fix.

 

[I2C]

No help to anyone but we have a Honda car and use Apple Car Play and Android Auto and have not had any problems with the GPS location - I've no idea if it's using the car's gps, I don't see why it would. The location icon is active on the phone so I assumed it would be using the phone's GPS - plus when I disconnect it from the car the map can still be active (Android) and in the right location.

A mac forum had these links if you have the time and explains the protocol...
https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2016/722
https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2016/723
https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2017/717

 

[Pausim]

My head unit doesn’t have any GPS functions and I have no problems. I can see there might be conflicts if the phone is receiving two sets of GPS information, they might not even be using the same map datum. My first instinct is to blame the head unit, the phone would not expect to receive external GPS data so why is the head unit trying to send it.

I have an app called GPS Diagnostic which shows the satellite information. If you have such an app it would be interesting to see what happens to the readings when you plug the phone into the head unit. If it is a data conflict you could try turning off the iPhone location service whilst it is plugged into the head unit. Go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services where you can toggle it off and on. Perhaps you can disable the head unit GPS function in a similar manner, which would probably be better than turning off the iPhone end.

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[Pausim]

Just a long shot but if you have an iPad that doesn’t have the Cellular/GPS function it might be interesting to see if this worked better, drawing GPS data only from the head unit.

 

[amica362]

Been looking into this. Loads of discussion on Honda, Ford, Porsche as well as Ducato forums that I have read so this is a known and widespread issue not only here but in US.

I understand when you connect your iPhone to a CarPlay head unit the phone takes it’s GPS feed from the head unit, not the phone. This can lead to a mismatch causing position drift. This could be crap but reported from many sources.

Seems a bigger issue with manufacturer fitted units than aftermarket. The motor manufacturers blame Apple, Apple say nothing to do with us. Stalemate.

It seems from what I have read all we can do is hope and wait for an update to fix.

Hi Andy

Did you ever manage to download fixes and map update for your 2021 Twin sta nav / radio ?

Many thanks

Elaine

 

[Andy MacD]

No, didn’t bother. It seems to work most of the time, until you actually need it.

I run with an iPad using copilot and a gps dongle and actually find the iPad better as it’s both mounted higher in the tablet holder and the screen is bigger.