These days, you possibly can mirror your smartphone’s display to virtually any machine—out of your TV or laptop computer to your automotive’s infotainment display. Now, if you wish to mirror your smartphone to your automotive’s infotainment system, you need to both have an Android Auto- or Apple CarPlay-compatible head unit.

Nevertheless, you can additionally use MirrorLink to combine your smartphone along with your car. However how does it work? Let’s discover out!

What Is MirrorLink?

MirrorLink is a smartphone-to-vehicle integration system that works equally to Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. This implies you possibly can join your smartphone to the car’s infotainment show utilizing MirrorLink. As soon as your smartphone is built-in into the infotainment system, you possibly can work together with the apps utilizing voice management, dashboard buttons, steering wheel buttons, or touchscreens.

Nevertheless, MirrorLink is an open-source system that any automotive producer or developer can customise—not like Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. The truth is, MirrorLink was the primary smartphone-to-vehicle integration system, and it was initially developed and launched by Nokia—this was just a few years earlier than Android Auto and Apple CarPlay had been launched.

The MirrorLink insurance policies are arrange by Automobile Connectivity Consortium (CCC)—the group that additionally owns the platform.

Which Autos and Smartphones Are Appropriate With MirrorLink?

In line with MirrorLink, some automotive producers suitable with the platform embrace Citreon, Normal Motors, DS Cars, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot, Skoda Auto, Suzuki, and Volkswagen. Alternatively, MirrorLink works on HTC, Huawei, LG, Samsung, and Sony smartphones.

In case your car is not suitable with Mirrorlink, Android Auto, or Apple Carplay, and also you need to join a current smartphone to your automotive, it is advisable to set up an aftermarket head unit with Android Auto or Apple Carplay compatibility.

How Do You Use Mirrorlink?

If you wish to use MirrorLink, you first want to put in the app to your smartphone—but when your telephone just isn’t suitable, it will not assist it. Subsequent, join your smartphone to the infotainment system utilizing a USB cable or Bluetooth.

As soon as your smartphone is built-in into the car, you possibly can entry a few of your apps on the infotainment show. If you happen to do not need to get distracted, you possibly can management the apps utilizing steering wheel controls or voice instructions.

Moreover, to forestall distracted driving, MirrorLink does not let you browse the web or stream movies—however you possibly can nonetheless use the touchscreen and dashboard buttons.

Along with that, MirrorLink solely helps just a few apps. The MirrorLink web site solely lists a handful of apps, with none of the preferred ones, like Spotify, supported natively. However, they need to be sufficient to make a name, hearken to music, test climate forecasts, and navigate.

What Are the Limitations of MirrorLink?

Despite the fact that MirrorLink was thought-about a game-changer when it first launched in 2010, its recognition was overshadowed by Google Assitant Driving Mode, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay. It is also restricted to previous smartphones launched in 2016 and 2017.

Past that, most automotive producers have moved on to designing infotainment methods with Android Automotive, a extra superior model of Android Auto that is much more highly effective than MirrorLink. It additionally does not assist that it has the least performance if you evaluate MirrorLink, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay.

Can You Use MirrorLink Right this moment?

From the look of issues, the most effective days of MirrorLink are behind it—the app is not up to date, and MirrorLink’s final press launch was in 2017.

This technique is normally discovered on older autos and older smartphones. If you happen to’re rocking a more recent telephone and a more recent experience, you in all probability will not see this anymore. In addition to, you are higher off upgrading your head unit to work with newer applied sciences if you wish to combine your automotive and smartphone.