[arRod1981]

Originally Posted by jazz120

The only thing with iDrive Nav it looks cluttered on the screen and the actual route u need to follow is in Green color and so is almost everything else ..if only the graphics were cleaner …

Change the map style in the settings.

[nZtiZia]

Originally Posted by javapro

Doe Waze show up in the HUD when connected through Apple CarPlay? It doesn’t for me but I am on the very old iDrive version - 03/2021.

AFAIK, Waze only shows up in the HUD when connected via AA

[RetSurfer]

Can I use Android, phone, messages, and other android auto apps, in the background while driving with the idrive nav?

[aMIC]

Another thing to consider is the voice that announces the directions. In the beginning of car ownership I used CarPlay with Siri because I want to have one less distraction. Now , after 3k miles, I use more and more the BMW navigation, even the voice I believe is little too soft 🙂

[Guy Fleegman]

Originally Posted by RetSurfer

Can I use Android, phone, messages, and other android auto apps, in the background while driving with the idrive nav?

Yes. I almost always play music through Android Auto while using the native navigation and map on iDrive. Sometimes AA will hijack the screen to display Google Map or Waze, even if I'm not navigating. But pushing the Home button restores the native map (which I find more aesthetically pleasing than Google Maps).

Text messaging can be quirky. I always receive and can reply to new messages, and sometimes the older messages sync up perfectly with my phone, but other times not at all. I don't know if that's an Android Auto issue or something else.

[RetSurfer]

Originally Posted by Guy Fleegman

Yes. I almost always play music through Android Auto while using the native navigation and map on iDrive. Sometimes AA will hijack the screen to display Google Map or Waze, even if I'm not navigating. But pushing the Home button restores the native map (which I find more aesthetically pleasing than Google Maps).

Text messaging can be quirky. I always receive and can reply to new messages, and sometimes the older messages sync up perfectly with my phone, but other times not at all. I don't know if that's an Android Auto issue or something else.

Thank you, I feel better now trying it.

Maybe it's your phone. I have a Pixel

[walketed]

Originally Posted by RetSurfer

I’ve had my 50e for a month now. I’ve been getting used to all the STUFF on it, it’s my first BMW.

I have a Google Pixel and have been using Google Maps on my phone for long trips in my previous Jeep, It didn't have AA. I haven't taken any longer drives yet with the 50e.

I see several connections between the BMW map and longer drives in Hybrid Mode.

What will I be missing moving to Android Auto?

On top of everything that's being discussed in this thread, for me the most important use case for Android Auto is that is way better at calculating routes. Also, traffic information is fueled by millions of Google Maps and Waze users. It's very hard if not impossible to keep up with Google's progress in that front. I don't trust the car's included navigation more than AA. The rest... like what's displayed in the HUD of other cosmetic things is negligible. Also, someone mentioned about the music app not being supported by AA, try Spotify, maybe you like it.