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TRICKorDEVICE

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 20, 2014
854
120
Hi all,

Does the feature that remembers where you parked your car work even if you don't have carplay, and if your bluetooth in your car doesn't ID itself as a car?
 

Feenician

macrumors 603
Jun 13, 2016
5,313
5,100
CarPlay isn't necessary (I don't have it and it works for me) but the latter isn't clear. Certainly someone here with just a standalone Bluetooth speaker said it didn't work for them.
 

Julien

macrumors G4
Jun 30, 2007
11,859
5,445
Atlanta
It works every time I get out of my car and I don't have CarPlay. I do have BT and an Automatic plugged in and connected by BT.
 

TRICKorDEVICE

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 20, 2014
854
120
It works every time I get out of my car and I don't have CarPlay. I do have BT and an Automatic plugged in and connected by BT.

Is your Bluetooth device a stock car connection, or a third party one (is it defined as a car?)

Thanks
 

mattopotamus

macrumors G5
Jun 12, 2012
14,738
6,109
Got a little sidetracked in your other thread, so I pasted it here. I think the bluetooth has to identify as a car.

It definitely needs one or the other. I have been driving my GFs car the last 3 days, which has neither and it still shows my car parked from 3 days ago that I was using with carplay.

I think google was using the speed you were traveling at to determine that you were in a car. Apple is using either a bluetooth connection with a car or carplay.
 

Julien

macrumors G4
Jun 30, 2007
11,859
5,445
Atlanta
Is your Bluetooth device a stock car connection, or a third party one (is it defined as a car?)

Thanks
Sorry, car is OEM BT and I also use an Automatic that connects by BT. So I actually have 2 BT connections to my car, 1 factory and 1 an Automatic (OBDII). Not sure if my iPhone is using one (or both) of theses are doesn't need BT.
 

Feenician

macrumors 603
Jun 13, 2016
5,313
5,100
To my knowledge there is no way for Bluetooth to register as a car. It's not one of the available Bluetooth profiles. There are device id's and some extended info but afaik no "I'm a car" switch. Perhaps it's some combination of device id/manufacturer id or something. It's all speculation though.
 

Feenician

macrumors 603
Jun 13, 2016
5,313
5,100
Mine is not recognized as a car, I use an Automatic and a GTA Car Kit for bluetooth.
So my pet theory (and it only a theory) is that iOS has a list of "blessed" access point names, device id's and/or manufacturer id's that are recognized as being a car. I say that because presumably your 3rd party kit implements Hands-Free profile, just as any car would, yet the 3rd party devices don't seem to get recognised well, if at all.

I might be a million miles away from being right though :)

Edit: more typos. Autocorrect plus instant scroll to the bottom bug do not make for well typed posts
 
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Feenician

macrumors 603
Jun 13, 2016
5,313
5,100
There's probably a database of car stereo model numbers, and your phone "knows" when it's connected to one.

That, or something similar, seems to explain the results observed at least but I'm surprised at the naïveté of that approach since Apple can't possibly keep up with head units as they're created. Perhaps some combination of device id, manufacturer id etc. but even that has severe limitations.
 

bigjnyc

macrumors G3
Apr 10, 2008
8,296
7,647
works with both my M4 and RR both are connected to bluetooth stock and are identified as a car in my bluetooth settings screen.
 

bigjnyc

macrumors G3
Apr 10, 2008
8,296
7,647
Can I ask where they're identified as a car?
If you go in to settings and then Bluetooth. See my screenshot. The first line is my M4 it's the car brand and a number which I assume each car has its own individual ID
 

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AsherN

macrumors 6502a
May 11, 2016
612
2,763
Canada
So it needs Bluetooth? Fantastic. Seeing as I find that kind of feature when travelling. Strange city with a different car. But there is no way I'm pairing my phone with a rental car.
 

Feenician

macrumors 603
Jun 13, 2016
5,313
5,100
Bluetooth or wired I believe, just as long as there's CarPlay or it otherwise recognizes your car as a car.

Edit: actually, let me modify that. I've only seen people confirm it works wired when there's CarPlay. I don't know if it works wired without it.
 

TRICKorDEVICE

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 20, 2014
854
120
Bluetooth or wired I believe, just as long as there's CarPlay or it otherwise recognizes your car as a car.

Edit: actually, let me modify that. I've only seen people confirm it works wired when there's CarPlay. I don't know if it works wired without it.


Ok, I don't have my Mac at hand to try this, but it is a crazy idea that I thought would be interesting to try.

Someone with a third party Bluetooth connection in their car could have the iPhone forget the device. Then pair the device to your Mac. Right click on the device and change the Bluetooth device name to "Your Vehicle." Then unpair it from the Mac and repair it to the iPhone in the vehicle.

So basically I am suggesting renaming the Bluetooth device to something the iPhone should recognize as a vehicle.

Anyone want to try????
 

AppleFan91

macrumors 68000
Sep 11, 2012
1,813
3,827
Indy, US
I have a 2013 Cruze, so no CarPlay. It has Bluetooth but I never connect it and it has an Automatic OBD reader. The feature has yet to work for me at all. That being said, once i get out of class, I will pair my phone via bluetooth to my phone on the way home and see if it pops up then.
 

FreeState

macrumors 68000
Jun 24, 2004
1,741
118
San Diego, CA
I have a 2013 Cruze, so no CarPlay. It has Bluetooth but I never connect it and it has an Automatic OBD reader. The feature has yet to work for me at all. That being said, once i get out of class, I will pair my phone via bluetooth to my phone on the way home and see if it pops up then.

I don't have a stereo in my car, it was stollen. I have Automatic on it though and I get parking notifications about 50% of the time. I also drive a stock Mercedes MLK once a week and I get notifications 100% of the time (no car play).
 

NeshyD

macrumors regular
Apr 28, 2009
120
47
San Francisco, CA
I wasn't able to get Parking location to work until I enabled "Frequent Locations" under Privacy -> Location -> System Services.

I don't think there's a specific car identifier in the BT address; iOS 10 is just monitoring your current position (and thus your speed) when you have Frequent Locations on.

Then I assume it learns what common BT device is connected (besides the Apple Watch of course) while moving locations and tries to give you an approximate parking location.

Since I had Frequent Locations on I've gotten Parking notifications for every stop I made today during errands.

My BT device is the MB C300 '15.
 
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