As a software interface, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto bring smartphone functions directly to the vehicle’s infotainment system. For example, you can use Google Maps to navigate or listen to music via Spotify. But what should you do if the car does not have an infotainment system at all or at least does not support Apple CarPlay or Android Auto? Sometimes an expensive and time-consuming option is to retrofit a monsieur (guide). But using a car display is much easier. It is attached to the dashboard like a navigation system and connected to the car radio.
This falls in the same category AOCCI V30S. With coupon code: techstage18 Display cost from manufacturer Only 130 Euros. It’s a big 10-inch display. A dashcam is also integrated and a wired reversing camera is also included. This test shows how the car’s display performs.
Performance and Scope of Delivery
The Aocci V30S is reminiscent of a mixture of a navigation device and a tablet in an extreme widescreen format. The housing is made of plastic, does not look particularly high quality and is easily processed. The diagonal of the touchscreen is 10.26 inches in 21: 9 format. This makes the car monitor look quite bulky and takes up a lot of space on the dashboard, especially in a small car. The monitor can display maps from Google Maps and playback from Spotify in parallel so that both can be seen clearly. The display also looks quite sharp without individual pixels being visible to the eye.
To attach it, either a holder with suction cups is used or a variant that can be stuck to the dashboard. In our opinion, the grip arm with suction cups is more practical, as it can be easily removed again. When snapping it on, you should make sure that the display is held in place on all four plugs so that it does not come loose while driving. Although the display wobbles a little while driving, it remained reliable in testing. The stick-on version, however, should hold firmly.
Power is supplied via a power supply with a USB-C plug on one side and a connection for a 12-volt socket in the car on the other. There is also a cable with two jack connections (3.5mm) in case you want to connect the display to the car radio via AUX. It also has a GPS module that can be stuck on the dashboard and connected to the 12-volt power supply via a cable. If you use the device with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, navigation is via your smartphone. However, the GPS module is helpful for some dashcams’ driving assistance systems, which we will discuss later.
A wired rear view camera is also included. However, we did not test these as assembly would be complicated and involve drilling holes in the body.
Upholstery
After installation, you start the vehicle’s ignition and the screen boots up quite quickly. In addition to Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, the Aocci V30S also supports Miracast and Apple AirPlay. The connection to an Android smartphone for Android Auto and an iPhone for Apple CarPlay is via Bluetooth. It works directly and reliably.
As soon as the connection is established, which can take about a minute the first time, the logos of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay appear on the home screen. If you select the appropriate logo, the smartphone screen reflects important applications, shows calls or displays notifications, which can be read if desired. As for Google Maps and Spotify, it is advisable to start them on your smartphone in advance.
A little annoying: By default, the screen shows the image from the dashcam on about a third of the area – even in Android Auto or Apple CarPlay mode. For example, if you have Spotify and Google Maps open, there is very little space for both applications. It is possible to hide the dashcam image, but this feature is well hidden. To do this, you need to switch to the basic settings of the Aocci V30S by pressing the camera symbol and then the gear. You can now deactivate the split screen for the dashcam under the video settings menu. To do this, the device must be rebooted.
Aocci V30S – Image
Aocci V30S – Image
Connection to car radio
There are three options for connecting the display and the car radio: by cable through the AUX input, by radio wave through an FM transmitter or indirectly via a Bluetooth connection between the smartphone and the car radio. The screen is used only to control and display the playlist; sound is transmitted between the cell phone and the radio.
If you have a car radio without Bluetooth or AUX input, you can use an FM transmitter. Here you choose a frequency from the FM band. The display on it sends the audio signal over a short distance through the radio. You will need to tune this frequency into the car radio. However, this form of connection is sensitive to noise and interference.
We chose the cable version because the Bluetooth connection between the smartphone and the car radio on our Opel Adam always takes a long time. However, it should be noted that titles cannot be changed using the steering wheel remote control. It only works with a Bluetooth connection.
The disillusionment with the cable connection was initially great for other reasons: a very annoying noise consisting of hissing and crackling was heard, reminiscent of indigestion. We also encountered a similar problem with the Carpuride W903 (test report). The solution is very simple: you need to insert an adapter with two jack inputs between the cable and the AUX input. You can get something like this on Aliexpress 1 Euro. Similar interference filters exist on Amazon From 8 euros.It’s a shame the manufacturer itself isn’t involved.
dash cam
There is a dashcam behind the display. It can be pulled out from the top of the fitting and tilted slightly to all sides for a better view. However, the range of movement of the lens is quite limited. So if you align the screen towards the driver, you are not necessarily filming straight ahead. The Carpuride W903 (test report) solved this better, where you can quickly rotate the camera lens left or right. Unfortunately, the microSD card required for recording is missing and must be purchased separately. It must have at least a U3 classification.
The maximum resolution of the videos is very high at 4K. You can specify the length of individual video clips in the settings; we recommend the shortest option with a length of 60 seconds. There is no real loop function in which only a few clips are continuously overwritten. The dashcam always creates new clips of the selected length and deletes the recording only when the microSD card is full. The exceptions are dangerous situations in which you brake hard. In this case, the built-in G-sensor detects the delay and then saves the video clip in a protected area.
The use of dashcams in Germany is still not clearly clarified. As long as the recordings are only recorded for specific occasions, the use is not restricted. With a larger memory, you run a corresponding number of recordings which can violate the personal rights of other road users. We explain more about the topic in the Top 10: Best dash cam for the car in the test – Nextbase, Garmin, Viofo & Co.
Some dashcam driver assistance systems are quite interesting. On the one hand, if desired, it shows guide lines and distances to other vehicles. ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) warning systems are also available. These warn the driver when the vehicle in front moves, about possible collisions and when leaving the lane. For ADAS, you should plug in the GPS module and stick it on the fitting where the device has visual contact with the sky.
rear view camera
Due to the excessive effort, we decided not to test the rear view camera. For installation, holes must be drilled in the bumper and body to attach the camera. You also have to run a long cable from the display through the interior to the trunk. The camera is mounted on the rear bumper and connected to the taillights for power supply. This is very time consuming and should be done by a car workshop if in doubt. One advantage of this solution is that it is difficult to assemble. The camera turns on as soon as the reverse gear is engaged. We show options in the top 5 that are easy to install: Best wireless reversing camera with battery – retrofit parking aid.
price
The Aocci V30S is normally priced around 180 euros. With code techstage18 The price drops 18 percent But 130 Euros.The V30 variant is slightly cheaper, but you can’t adjust the dash cam and it also has fewer driver assistance systems.
optional
conclusion
The Aocci V30S is an inexpensive display that allows Apple Carplay or Android Auto to be fitted to an older vehicle quickly and easily. The processing seems a bit simple, but it serves its purpose. Pairing with a smartphone via Bluetooth for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto works smoothly. This means that the interface can be retrofitted even in older vehicles to use services such as Google Maps or Spotify in the car.
Connection to the car radio is possible via FM transmitter or cable, alternatively, if possible you can connect the smartphone to the radio via Bluetooth for audio playback. The noise was annoying when connecting via cable. But you can fix it with a cheap adapter, which unfortunately you have to buy yourself.
In turn, the dashcam offers higher resolution and some practical assistance systems. There is even a rear view camera included, but it is very complicated to install. Overall, if you want to retrofit Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, Aocci’s V30S is a recommendable solution with small flaws, even if in our opinion you can do without a dashcam and reversing camera.
We feature other useful car accessories in these articles:
