MIB1 Android auto/Apple Carplay retrofit

[ray]

As the title suggests there is (and has been for a couple of years I guess) a piece of kit that upgrades your MIB1/2 head unit to Android auto/Apple CarPlay. It’s about £150 off AliExpress and is worth every penny.

I had watched a guys video doing a similar one on a golf R which is about €350, not a price I’m willing to pay (especially with import duties) but this kit from AliExpress was practically (if not identical) to the one he had.

The reason I’m posting this and why I even recorded it was because from the info in this forum since buying my Cupra over 5 years ago was that it wasn’t possible - there doesn’t seem to be any threads detailing this upgrade either so I thought I’d share it.

Hopefully if like me it’s something you wish your car always had but weren’t willing to pay the money for the full head unit change it serves you well.

Happy to answer any questions but besides from performance mods it’s by far the best enhancement I’ve done to the car in my 5 years with it.

 

[Tell]

It's an interesting one. It comes up from time to time. I send them off on old threads... Probably yours. If my mib2 high packed up I'd think about it if I could not get a replacement at a price.

We are now on aftercare with these systems. 2023 mib1 maps have now come up on the navigation thread here. June 2024 mib2 high maps. The life in the old dogs yet. Quite a few people with mib1 wanted Android Auto why they swapped to mib2 from 2016 or so. If the car is decent but the infotainment systems goes or you want something new.

 

[H Rafiq]

I have MIB1 in my 2015 Cupra 280, but no USB ports in the cubby in the centre console. I’m only after maps, either Apple Maps or cars sat nav. Cheaper/easier to upgrade to 2023 maps, or get this CarPlay unit? I like using the actual car maps as it’s all integrated in the car system.

Also, with this CarPlay unit, can you connect your phone for CarPlay via WiFi?

 

[Tell]

The details of how to update the EU mib1 SD maps for free to 2023 maps is here:

Updating the inbuilt Mib2 Satnav / Mib2 tricks and Mib1

I downloaded the file on Briskoda yesterday, the Skoda one, and as you say it doesn't unpack properly, lots of errors. The size when unzipped is nearly 200mb smaller than the 330 maps. Yes the Audi mib2 high only file is error free and works. If it's true that because the TT was fitting mib2...

www.seatcupra.net

@Daz3d gave a how to do it based on instructions published on European forums and his experience.

@DaveS followed the instruction and bought a bigger Vag eBay card to save editting down the maps as Daz had done. You can also get the Inrix TMC working in the UK as well by recoding mib1 TMC group from 15 to 14.

Updating the inbuilt Mib2 Satnav / Mib2 tricks and Mib1

How to figure out the size of the cards that are for sale? (And that they have a suitable CID?) I'd be happy (happier!) not to have to hack down to size of my MIB1. The mib2 one will be 16gb unless they sell them as 32gb...

www.seatcupra.net

The map file used are on mibsolution.one, they originate from Audi and are pan compatible with mib1 standard units. The routine publication of map updates for mib1 stopped a couple of years back across Seat, Skoda and VW but Audi are still doing it. You never know there might be a 2024 release of the maps.

It remained a dark art of how to update mib1 maps. The navigation thread never got down to the bottom of why about 50% of people could update and the rest couldn't back 8 years ago or so. As long as you follow the guidance and read the links it is a DIY task. They also update the firmware to be on the safe side. Like all things take a back up copy before you start.

Really if you are happy with mib1 maps and just want the update of the maps to 2023 that's the way to go for minimum cost.

Now I did say SD based system, there were some mib1 high units like the mib2 high but I don't think they got to Seat. Mib1 is before my time . It's those mib1 high units questions come up about how to update them on other boards. They have no map card in them yet work, that's how you know, simple check. If you got a map card in the unit and it's mib1, its a mib1 standard and those are the maps and instructions for Europe.

If you don't want to do it as DIY, East Yorkshire Retrofit offer a paid service.

Pass on question about that Android unit.

 

[H Rafiq]

Yeah, this sounds too complicated for me. And EYR are over 3 hours away from me… I bought a card from my local Seat dealer not too long ago and it didn’t work. They didn’t seem bothered that it didn’t work either. Didn’t want help. Just gave me a refund instead.

 

[Tell]

Buying cards is what they were doing with mib1 before off eBay then ending out of pocket. Those instructions are the ones that get it to work via DIY. Seat use mapcare but that was never sold in the UK for mib1. The old fashioned spending £150 or so to get it updated at the dealer prevailed into mib2 unless you did it yourself. I suspect dealer don't now know how to update mib1. The screen have long gone on their systems.

Mib1 update tricks were not worked out in the early days for DIY which side stepped mapcare making it a DIY task, only now so it appears. That changed in 2017 for Mib2 where Exciter worked out the mib2 standard "workaround" (the overall.nds file shuffle). Hobbyists and retrofitters mastered the mib2 high FeCs and firmware. All of that is open now with some effort. It was closed down again in Mib3, map updates are now free offline (Seat abandoned mapcare being the odd one out from Skoda and VW) but as far as I know there hasn't been much progress on other fronts but I might be wrong.

Connected services if you subscribe in Mib3 will give you over the air updates and firmware updates and patches and the rest. Seat UK has always had a love / hate relation with the built in maps, "just use your phone"... yet Google has big holes in it's maps, farm tracks as roads etc. Mib3 as a built in mapping system declined over Mib2 with a poor destination memory... only ten or so slots to save. We wait to see what Mib4 is like later this year.

 

[ray]

I have MIB1 in my 2015 Cupra 280, but no USB ports in the cubby in the centre console. I’m only after maps, either Apple Maps or cars sat nav. Cheaper/easier to upgrade to 2023 maps, or get this CarPlay unit? I like using the actual car maps as it’s all integrated in the car system.

Also, with this CarPlay unit, can you connect your phone for CarPlay via WiFi?

I don’t know what’s involved with the standard maps it seems a bit more in-depth than something like this. My issue with the integrated maps is just that things change so quickly and if it’s a hassle to update each year there’s a road change or whatever it’s a hassle I don’t want - for that reason I’ve never used the inbuilt maps. Also Waze has input from other road users to show where the police have been reported etc which I find really handy.

This unit works with wifi so it connects automatically as soon as you’re in the car, really nifty.

 

[ray]

It's an interesting one. It comes up from time to time. I send them off on old threads... Probably yours. If my mib2 high packed up I'd think about it if I could not get a replacement at a price.

We are now on aftercare with these systems. 2023 mib1 maps have now come up on the navigation thread here. June 2024 mib2 high maps. The life in the old dogs yet. Quite a few people with mib1 wanted Android Auto why they swapped to mib2 from 2016 or so. If the car is decent but the infotainment systems goes or you want something new.

For me my car only just his 40k miles, has full heated leather and is obviously an absolute blast to drive. The only thing I’d gain now from a newer version would be a larger screen now I have CarPlay and maybe more boot space if i went for the estate. But then I’d be forking out up to 35k for nowhere near enough gains over my almost 10 year old car that I still ebjoy.

I was surprised to find this kit as I just wrote anything like this being developed off since they only lasted a couple of years before going to mib2, thankfully I was wrong.

 

[H Rafiq]

For me my car only just his 40k miles, has full heated leather and is obviously an absolute blast to drive. The only thing I’d gain now from a newer version would be a larger screen now I have CarPlay and maybe more boot space if i went for the estate. But then I’d be forking out up to 35k for nowhere near enough gains over my almost 10 year old car that I still ebjoy.

I was surprised to find this kit as I just wrote anything like this being developed off since they only lasted a couple of years before going to mib2, thankfully I was wrong.

I think I’ll upgrade to the CarPlay you have soon. It’s just, the screen is tiny, but hey ho. Do the maps arrows show on the dash screen with Apple Maps, like they do with the inbuilt satnav?

 

[ray]

I think I’ll upgrade to the CarPlay you have soon. It’s just, the screen is tiny, but hey ho. Do the maps arrows show on the dash screen with Apple Maps, like they do with the inbuilt satnav?

No that functionality doesn’t carry over unfortunately. In fairness I never liked it that much to be in that position so no loss for me.

 

[SuperV8]

As the title suggests there is (and has been for a couple of years I guess) a piece of kit that upgrades your MIB1/2 head unit to Android auto/Apple CarPlay. It’s about £150 off AliExpress and is worth every penny.

I had watched a guys video doing a similar one on a golf R which is about €350, not a price I’m willing to pay (especially with import duties) but this kit from AliExpress was practically (if not identical) to the one he had.

The reason I’m posting this and why I even recorded it was because from the info in this forum since buying my Cupra over 5 years ago was that it wasn’t possible - there doesn’t seem to be any threads detailing this upgrade either so I thought I’d share it.

Hopefully if like me it’s something you wish your car always had but weren’t willing to pay the money for the full head unit change it serves you well.

Happy to answer any questions but besides from performance mods it’s by far the best enhancement I’ve done to the car in my 5 years with it.

Thanks for sharing.
How did you get on installing the box? is it just laid in the glove box like in the vid or did you manage to hide it behind the dash?

 

[ray]

Thanks for sharing.
How did you get on installing the box? is it just laid in the glove box like in the vid or did you manage to hide it behind the dash?

It’s staying in there for now.

installation was easy all you need to do is get the old head unit out and it’s just plug and play.

it’s staying where it is just now, I might have another go at finding somewhere I can stow it away. I had tried stuffing it in around the back of where the existing unit goes but with the box itself and all the wires it was just too much.

If it was LHD this area would be practically empty but for us we aren’t so lucky. I think I said in the video I bought a reverse camera off Ali when I first bought the car but didn’t have the plugs for. This harness now has that so I’ll get to plugging that in soon too. Added little bonus.

 

[SuperV8]

It’s staying in there for now.

installation was easy all you need to do is get the old head unit out and it’s just plug and play.

it’s staying where it is just now, I might have another go at finding somewhere I can stow it away. I had tried stuffing it in around the back of where the existing unit goes but with the box itself and all the wires it was just too much.

If it was LHD this area would be practically empty but for us we aren’t so lucky. I think I said in the video I bought a reverse camera off Ali when I first bought the car but didn’t have the plugs for. This harness now has that so I’ll get to plugging that in soon too. Added little bonus.

Aha - its your video... nice, just thought you have shared another vid.
Thanks again for sharing.

 

[Tell]

No that functionality doesn’t carry over unfortunately. In fairness I never liked it that much to be in that position so no loss for me.

The next turn screen never shows on the adjoint navigation / distance to go to turn etc on Android Auto / Car Play Mib units. Does have it's uses at not having to glance to the left but reading it up front. You get the lane markings as well at turn offs.

Your solution allows any Android mapping app to be used rather than any specific app approved for Android Auto. You have to keep any eye on the version of Android in that box against the app. It's getting a bit two frequent that providers of apps pull support for an Android version. Android 7 limiting along now. Co-pilot Here maps and you'd just update over home wifi. It's free for life once you have bought the Co-pilot app. The one I use on visits to Australia, Cyprus etc. Rental cars in Europe on a tablet. Your world is your oyster on supported apps if the box supports them. That you have to check. Mind you I would now if I had mib1 which I don't, I would just upgrade to the 2023 maps if the box was working. Depends what you want, a mapping system or something that has the functionality of mib2 which was where that unit comes in.... others just upgrade to mib2 high at the time but more pricy. Horses for courses.

 

[ray]

Aha - its your video... nice, just thought you have shared another vid.
Thanks again for sharing.

Ah I didn’t make that clear!

This forum helped me a lot when I first got the Leon and I thought I’d film it since there were always guys on here (like me) looking for this without wanting to go through the hassle/money of upgrading the head unit. I was high on cocodemols so it isn’t the best video but just threw something together that would hopefully help someone.

 

[ray]

The next turn screen never shows on the adjoint navigation / distance to go to turn etc on Android Auto / Car Play Mib units. Does have it's uses at not having to glance to the left but reading it up front. You get the lane markings as well at turn offs.

Your solution allows any Android mapping app to be used rather than any specific app approved for Android Auto. You have to keep any eye on the version of Android in that box against the app. It's getting a bit two frequent that providers of apps pull support for an Android version. Android 7 limiting along now. Co-pilot Here maps and you'd just update over home wifi. It's free for life once you have bought the Co-pilot app. The one I use on visits to Australia, Cyprus etc. Rental cars in Europe on a tablet. Your world is your oyster on supported apps if the box supports them. That you have to check. Mind you I would now if I had mib1 which I don't, I would just upgrade to the 2023 maps if the box was working. Depends what you want, a mapping system or something that has the functionality of mib2 which was where that unit comes in.... others just upgrade to mib2 high at the time but more pricy. Horses for courses.

I didn’t think the box would be restricted by the android version in fairness, me being Apple it wasn’t something I was concerned about (I have heard that android is far better than Apple for the the CarPlay features).

 

[SuperV8]

Ah I didn’t make that clear!

This forum helped me a lot when I first got the Leon and I thought I’d film it since there were always guys on here (like me) looking for this without wanting to go through the hassle/money of upgrading the head unit. I was high on cocodemols so it isn’t the best video but just threw something together that would hopefully help someone.

Video is clear and much better than I could do!

 

[MartinThorn]

Thanks - an interesting way to approach/circumvent the MIB1 upgrade challenge that I haven't come across after many, many hours of research! I've just joined here as I'm also about to upgrade my 2014 MIB1 Leon too to get Android Auto, but a slightly more conventional route which I'll document in more detail on another thread in the coming weeks.

My method will be - salvage 6.5" screen (from a Toledo) + salvage MIB2 standard Preh head/nav unit. Will install them (straight swap) then apply SD card firmware upgrade (to latest possible for the nav unit: 0369) and "MST2_DIY_SD_patch" to activate features and remove CP. I'll almost certainly get a wireless Wi-fi dongle to get wireless Android Auto assuming all goes to plan..

Cost is somewhat higher than your solution as you got to keep your screen! (about £300 all in - could have been a bit cheaper but some of the salvage 6.5" screens & nav units on Ebay look a bit ropey - accident victim?!).

Quick question - did you (or others doing such an upgrade) disconnect the car battery?

 

[Tell]

I don't think disconnecting the battery will effect to much.

 

[ray]

Thanks - an interesting way to approach/circumvent the MIB1 upgrade challenge that I haven't come across after many, many hours of research! I've just joined here as I'm also about to upgrade my 2014 MIB1 Leon too to get Android Auto, but a slightly more conventional route which I'll document in more detail on another thread in the coming weeks.

My method will be - salvage 6.5" screen (from a Toledo) + salvage MIB2 standard Preh head/nav unit. Will install them (straight swap) then apply SD card firmware upgrade (to latest possible for the nav unit: 0369) and "MST2_DIY_SD_patch" to activate features and remove CP. I'll almost certainly get a wireless Wi-fi dongle to get wireless Android Auto assuming all goes to plan..

Cost is somewhat higher than your solution as you got to keep your screen! (about £300 all in - could have been a bit cheaper but some of the salvage 6.5" screens & nav units on Ebay look a bit ropey - accident victim?!).

Quick question - did you (or others doing such an upgrade) disconnect the car battery?

Yeah I left the battery on.

I had always hoped the mib2 units would become more affordable, basically any mod I do has to be worth it. So the only function I would make use of was apple play but since I can just put my phone in a holder it wasn’t worth the 300+ to upgrade. £150 tho? Right up my street especially when it’s an easy install.