There’s no denying that Apple CarPlay has essentially taken over when it comes to in-car infotainment. Gone are the days of using CDs, flipping through satellite radio channels, or looking at your phone while driving. Thanks to Apple CarPlay, you can now utilize many of the apps on your iPhone without needing to take your eyes off the road.
There are a few different ways to add Apple CarPlay to your older car. But what if you don’t want to replace the existing radio with a more expensive head unit? Don’t worry!
The easiest way to add wireless Apple CarPlay to your car without buying an aftermarket radio
If you have an older car, then the typical way to add Apple CarPlay to it is to buy an aftermarket radio. There are plenty of aftermarket units currently on the market and many of them allow for wired or wireless CarPlay use. However, if you don’t want to mess with the radio at all, then the easiest way to add Apple’s phone integration is to buy a unit like the NINETOM™ RoadTop 2nd gen 8.8 car touchscreen.
The RoadTop 2nd gen 8.8 car touchscreen is a standalone unit that’s a lot like those old Garmin navigation units from back in the day. Instead of only showing you a map, however, the 8.8 car touchscreen displays the Apple CarPlay interface on its 8.8-inch display. According to Apple Insider, the unit also has a microphone and built-in speakers, but you probably won’t want to use the latter.
Instead, after mounting the unit to your car’s windshield or dashboard via a suction mount, you can connect it to your car’s existing audio system. Doing so is simply done by connecting the Intellidash to the audio system with an auxiliary input cord or through the built-in FM transmitter for a wireless connection. It can also pair to your iPhone automatically after connecting it to the system with the lightning cable.
As of this writing, the current retail price for the RoadTop 2nd gen 8.8 car touchscreen is $275.
