[badutahboy]

Hi all,

I've read most of the discussions of retrofitting newer/more highly optioned radios into our vehicles, but I'm curious if this one has been tackled yet:

I have a 2012 Volt with Bose/Nav/HDD, but it's lacking in features I'd like, namely A2DP and ideally Android Auto/iCarplay.

I know I can retrofit a Bose radio from a 2013+ into it, but I'm curious if the Android Auto unit from the 2017 model is possible. I'm not sure the cost is worth it just to get A2DP, but it'd be much easier to swallow $600+ to get Android Auto.

GTPprix, I'm looking your way! I tried to send you a PM but your box is full. Anyone else, I'd love feedback as well.

 

[SharkVolt]

Since the radio and the touch buttons are integrated together with the CPU on the 2012, I believe the 2017 would be totally impossible to make work together.

 

[llninja]

Since the radio and the touch buttons are integrated together with the CPU on the 2012, I believe the 2017 would be totally impossible to make work together.

Agreed, the climate control buttons and knobs are totally different, the screens look totally different, i place a 0% chance that gm designed these to be plug and play. The infotainment system has to integrate with climate control, the keyfob sensor, the car's other computers and sensors, the onstar system, the Driver's information console. Heck, even the front console panel is a different size and shape between g1 and g2. The fit and finish would be frankensteinian.

 

[flyingsherpa]

Agreed, the climate control buttons and knobs are totally different, the screens look totally different, i place a 0% chance that gm designed these to be plug and play. The infotainment system has to integrate with climate control, the keyfob sensor, the car's other computers and sensors, the onstar system, the Driver's information console. Heck, even the front console panel is a different size and shape between g1 and g2. The fit and finish would be frankensteinian.

Agreed, but perhaps someone like GTPrix could do some custom coding? The overall commands on the two sets are probably largely the same (fan up/down, radio tune&vol up/down, etc) so maybe a translation table or custom keymapping could be possible? I'm not brave enough to try it on my car, as I've already had to replace the $$$ radio once and really don't feel like messing with it again. But I'd be interested to read about anyone trying it.

OP, there was a thread a week or two ago about upgrading the firmware on the gen1 radios so that it included mirrorlink, which functions kind of like android auto. Might be worth a look, though seems like success was far from guaranteed, and I think you need a mylink radio (which your 2012 probably doesn't have).

 

[Barry]

If what you are proposing turns out to be impractical, there may be other ways to get A2DP. What is your goal with that? To wirelessly stream music or other audio from your phone to the car stereo? If so, there are bluetooth adapters that can accomplish that.

 

[saghost]

Pretty much anything is possible with enough time, effort, and resources.

As others have said, this won't be a simple, easy swap - both center consoles have a bunch of other things tied in to the "radio" that would have to be changed as well or spoofed.

You might be better off with a stand alone entertainment solution instead, or the plug in Bluetooth boxes.

 

[inspron]

I'm not sure the cost is worth it just to get A2DP, but it'd be much easier to swallow $600+ to get Android Auto.

A2DP streaming devices are $20 or less on Amazon all day everyday.

 

[badutahboy]

Since the radio and the touch buttons are integrated together with the CPU on the 2012, I believe the 2017 would be totally impossible to make work together.

Agreed, the climate control buttons and knobs are totally different, the screens look totally different, i place a 0% chance that gm designed these to be plug and play. The infotainment system has to integrate with climate control, the keyfob sensor, the car's other computers and sensors, the onstar system, the Driver's information console. Heck, even the front console panel is a different size and shape between g1 and g2. The fit and finish would be frankensteinian.

Agreed, but perhaps someone like GTPrix could do some custom coding? The overall commands on the two sets are probably largely the same (fan up/down, radio tune&vol up/down, etc) so maybe a translation table or custom keymapping could be possible? I'm not brave enough to try it on my car, as I've already had to replace the $$$ radio once and really don't feel like messing with it again. But I'd be interested to read about anyone trying it.

OP, there was a thread a week or two ago about upgrading the firmware on the gen1 radios so that it included mirrorlink, which functions kind of like android auto. Might be worth a look, though seems like success was far from guaranteed, and I think you need a mylink radio (which your 2012 probably doesn't have).

Thanks for this feedback. Quite honestly, I haven't even looked at a 2017 because I'm not in the market, so I hadn't seen how much different the dash is. You guys are probably right, but the answer is always no if the question doesn't get asked, and I know that Chris has performed magic before, so I thought I'd ask if it had been considered.

Flyingsherpa, I'll do some searching for the mirrorlink thread. I hadn't seen that one, but I was seriously considering upgrading to a 2013-2015 HU with mylink (possibly what you meant) for A2DP and app integration.

If what you are proposing turns out to be impractical, there may be other ways to get A2DP. What is your goal with that? To wirelessly stream music or other audio from your phone to the car stereo? If so, there are bluetooth adapters that can accomplish that.

A2DP streaming devices are $20 or less on Amazon all day everyday.

That's what I'm doing at present. I have a BT adapter using the aux port, but it's a piss poor solution, since BT only allows one connection. Phone connectivity sucks through the adapter, so I'm forced to choose between using my phone or streaming music. If I could connect my phone to both the BT adapter and the car's BT, I'd be mostly content with this setup.It's also frustrating that I don't get any info on my music through the aux port, and can't control it via the steering wheel controls, but those are issues I can accept.

I'd still have the issue that the BT adapter has a battery, so it doesn't disconnect when I shut the car off (which causes problems in other ways, such as not being able to use my Realtor's keyboxes because it didn't disconnect from the car), but I'm sure I could solve that with a different BT adapter.

 

[llninja]

Thanks for this feedback. Quite honestly, I haven't even looked at a 2017 because I'm not in the market, so I hadn't seen how much different the dash is. You guys are probably right, but the answer is always no if the question doesn't get asked, and I know that Chris has performed magic before, so I thought I'd ask if it had been considered.

Flyingsherpa, I'll do some searching for the mirrorlink thread. I hadn't seen that one, but I was seriously considering upgrading to a 2013-2015 HU with mylink (possibly what you meant) for A2DP and app integration.

That's what I'm doing at present. I have a BT adapter using the aux port, but it's a piss poor solution, since BT only allows one connection. Phone connectivity sucks through the adapter, so I'm forced to choose between using my phone or streaming music. If I could connect my phone to both the BT adapter and the car's BT, I'd be mostly content with this setup.It's also frustrating that I don't get any info on my music through the aux port, and can't control it via the steering wheel controls, but those are issues I can accept.

I'd still have the issue that the BT adapter has a battery, so it doesn't disconnect when I shut the car off (which causes problems in other ways, such as not being able to use my Realtor's keyboxes because it didn't disconnect from the car), but I'm sure I could solve that with a different BT adapter.

The only clean solution to your lack of Bluetooth and android auto/CarPlay is to buy a new volt/bolt/CTS PLug-in or used ELR. Expensive, but elegant.

 

[badutahboy]

The only clean solution to your lack of Bluetooth and android auto/CarPlay is to buy a new volt/bolt/CTS PLug-in or used ELR. Expensive, but elegant.

Haha, I've been trying to convince my wife to get rid of her CR-V in favor of a Volt, but she likes her SUV. She doesn't care about A2DP, so I'd give her mine and find a newer one, but even that doesn't get me Android Auto, because I prefer the Gen 1 model. I might end up doing the swap to a MyLink enabled radio while I wait for the day I can get my hands on a Tesla Model 3 (probably 3-4 years out as I haven't put a deposit down).

 

[llninja]

Haha, I've been trying to convince my wife to get rid of her CR-V in favor of a Volt, but she likes her SUV. She doesn't care about A2DP, so I'd give her mine and find a newer one, but even that doesn't get me Android Auto, because I prefer the Gen 1 model. I might end up doing the swap to a MyLink enabled radio while I wait for the day I can get my hands on a Tesla Model 3 (probably 3-4 years out as I haven't put a deposit down).

Why wait to get in line? I put in my reservation during the reveal. Though after I figured out that the model 3 was bout the size of the volt and without a hatchback, it was more constraining with a truck, I cancelled my reservation and got my deposit back. It would have been nice if they told you which spot you are in line and updated you periodically depending on how many people drop out in front of you. Given the recent model 3 rumors, I'm guessing lots of people will drop out when after desired options the car is closer to $50k and not $35k after fed tax credits.

 

[hellsop]

The only clean solution to your lack of Bluetooth and android auto/CarPlay is to buy a new volt/bolt/CTS PLug-in or used ELR. Expensive, but elegant.

THEORETICALLY there could be an aux-jack BT box that only connects through A2DP (streaming audio) profile that leaves the HFP (handsfree profile) free to connect to the car for call handling. Phone should be able to handle up to seven different device connections at a time. (headset + streaming + Human interface device (HID) like a keyboard +health device (FitBit) for example)