GROM VLITE CarPlay and Android Auto Video Integration System User Manual
- June 17, 2024
- GROM
Table of Contents
GROM VLITE CarPlay and Android Auto Video Integration System
Initialization
The VLIte is the interface that is linked to the display and the car radio. After installing the VLite in the car, you can activate it via the MEDIA button (press once or twice).
Using CarPlay
Setting up Wireless CarPlay
- Turn on Bluetooth on the VLite VT2. Go to Support –> Bluetooth.
- Turn on Bluetooth on iPhone;
- Select the gray CarPlay icon® on the home screen of the VLite VT2; Your phone will be listed under “Wireless CarPlay Devices”;
- Tap or select your phone from the list of wireless CarPlay devices; the VLite VT2 will start connecting to your iPhone;
- Within a few seconds, you will see the “Tap to Pair” pop-up on the VLite VT2 screen. Allow iPhone for contacts and call history.
- 6. Two pop-up notifications will appear on the iPhone: request to pair with VLite VT2 and then “Use CarPlay with VLITE?” Click “pair” on the first pop-up and “use for CarPlay” on the second pop-up.
- The message on the VLite VT2 screen under your iPhone’s name will change to “Connecting…”. Within seconds, the status will change to “Connected.”
- The CarPlay user interface (user interface) is automatically displayed on the car’s screen. If it doesn’t appear automatically, tap the “Show User Interface” button in the top right corner of the “CarPlay Settings” display.
General features in CarPlay
Siri voice commands
To activate Siri, press and hold the “NEXT TRACK” button on the steering wheel
or car stereo. You can also press and hold the button in the bottom left
corner of the CarPlay screen to activate Siri.
Make sure the Siri feature is turned on on your iPhone.
Phone calls
You can start the phone call from the CarPlay menu or Siri voice command. Make
sure the iPhone is paired with the VLite VT2 for phone calls. Disconnect the
iPhone from the Bluetooth with the car, as the calls will be forwarded to
CarPlay.
Tip : You can adjust the microphone gain in the VLite VT2 settings. The
best-performing position is usually around 45 for unamplified/VLite VT2
microphones and 30 for amplified/factory microphones.
Using CarPlay wired – via USB
Plug the USB cable into the VLite’s USB1 port. Use an original Apple USB- lightning cable for the best connectivity. Any cable over 6 meters in length can cause problems.
Troubleshooting
If CarPlay won’t connect, the solutions below are available:
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1. Restart the iPhone from scratch.
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2. Make sure Siri is turned on: Siri must be turned on for CarPlay to work. If it’s not allowed, go to [Settings > Siri & Search] and activate the following options
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Listen for “Hey Siri”
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Press the side button for Siri
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Allow Siri When Locked
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Make sure CarPlay is turned on when it’s locked. If CarPlay isn’t turned on when it’s locked, it won’t be able to be activated when your phone’s screen is off.
Go to [Settings > General > CarPlay] and tap the VLITE in the list of available connections. Then turn on “Allow CarPlay while locked.” -
If the iPhone is not detected by CarPlay, check if CarPlay is not restricted. Go to [Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions], tap Allowed Apps, and make sure CarPlay is turned on.
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Make sure Bluetooth on the iPhone and VLite VT2 is turned on. Make sure your iPhone isn’t in airplane mode either.
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For a wireless connection, you can try to “forget” the VLite completely and reconnect.
On iPhone: -
Go to [Settings -> General -> CarPlay -> VLine2 -> Forget the Vlite
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Restart iPhone
On the VLite VT2: -
Go to [Settings -> Network & Internet -> 3 dots at the top right -> Reset WiFi/Bluetooth/Mobile -> (confirm the reset)]
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Restart the VLite VT2 [Settings -> System -> VLine System Updates -> Reboot
Once done, pair the phone and the VLite VT2 again. Be sure to give permission for Contacts and for Wireless CarPlay. Confirm both pop-ups. -
If you’re having trouble with the CarPlay pairing or audio, make sure that the iPhone is completely disconnected from the car’s Bluetooth/hands-free connection
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CarPlay doesn’t connect automatically every time. Under CarPlay settings, find the “Activate CarPlay User Interface” option. Make sure that the option is selected to activate ‘Automatic (when connected)’. Tap Switch between automatic and manual activation. Go to CarPlay settings to switch between automatic and manual activation of CarPlay
Back to the main screen of VLite VT2.
Use the GROM icon/app in the CarPlay app® screen to go back to the VLite VT2 main screen.
Other apps in Carplay
You can use all other apps supported by Carplay while using the VLite. Keep in mind that you need to install apps on your smartphone so that they display on the VLite display. Check the Carplay support page to see which apps are compatible with Carplay.
Using Android Auto
How to set up wireless Android Auto
- Turn on Bluetooth on your VLite VT2. Go to [Support –> Bluetooth].
- Turn on Bluetooth on your Android smartphone®.
- Select the gray Android Auto icon® on the VLite VT2 home screen; your phone will be listed under “Android Auto Wireless Devices.”
- Tap or select your phone from the list of Android Auto wireless devices; the VLite VT2 will start connecting to your phone.
- Within a few seconds, you will see the “Tap to Pair” prompt on the VLite VT2 screen. Check “Allow access to your contacts and call history.”
- The phone will also receive the pop-up request to pair with VLite VT2. Pair the device.
- The message on the VLite VT2 screen under the name of your Android phone will change to “Connecting…”. Within seconds, the status will change to “Connected.”
- The Android Auto user interface will automatically be displayed on the car’s display. If it doesn’t appear automatically, tap the “Show User Interface” button in the top right corner of the “Android Settings” display.
Return to the main screen of VLite VT2.
Use the EXIT icon/app in the Android Auto app® screen to go back to VLite VT2 main screen
Wired Android Auto connection – via USB
Connect the USB cable to a USB port on the VLite VT2. Use a high-quality USB cable for the best connectivity (charging and data transfer). The maximum recommended length of the USB cable is 6 meters.
General features in Android Auto
OK Google Voice Assistant Commands
To activate the Google voice assistant, press and hold the “NEXT TRACK” button
on the steering wheel or car radio. You can also activate the voice stud at
the bottom of the Android Auto screen. Make sure the Google Voice Assistant
feature is enabled on your smartphone.
Tip : You can adjust the microphone gain in the VLite VT2 settings. The
best position is usually around 45 for non-amplified/VLite VT2micro ns and 30
for amplified/factory microphones.
Phone calls
The VLite VT2 does not support phone calls via Android Auto. Instead, you can
use the car’s factory Bluetooth to make or receive calls. To make or receive
calls, you need to make a Bluetooth connection with the factory car radio as a
second connection. You can start the phone call using the Android Auto phone
call menu. Once you’ve paired your phone with the factory car stereo, tap that
connection in your Bluetooth settings and uncheck everything except “Phone
Calls.”
The Vlite then routes the phone call to the car’s car kit function.
Other apps in Android Auto
You can use any other apps supported by Android Auto while using VLite VT2.
Keep in mind that you need to install apps on your smartphone so that they
displayed on the VLite VT2 Android Auto screen. Check the Android Auto support
page to see which apps are compatible with Android Auto.
Troubleshooting
If Android Auto won’t connect, the solutions below are available:
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Restart the smartphone.
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Make sure your smartphone supports wireless Android Auto. Check the phone’s settings and search for Android Auto.
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Make sure to turn on Bluetooth on your smartphone and on the Vlite.
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Go to Android Auto Settings –> Connected Cars and make sure the “Add new cars to Android Auto” option is enabled on your phone.
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If you are using a Samsung smartphone, you may need to set up the “routines” for the wireless Android Auto to connect automatically. View the article on https://bit.ly/samsung_routines to learn how to set up the routines for your Samsung smartphone.
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For Android Auto wireless connection issues, reset the connection:
On the Android phone:
1. Forget VLite2 via Bluetooth Settings
2. Restart/Restart the Android Phone
On the VLite:
1. Forget Android Phone via Bluetooth Settings
2. Restart the VLite (Support -> All Settings -> About -> VLite System Updates -> Restart VLite) -
If none of the above helps, clear Android Auto cache and storage. To clear the data for Android Auto, go to (Settings > Apps & Notifications > See All X apps > Android Auto > Storage & Cache. First, select “Clear Cache”. Clearing the cache will only delete temporary files. Clearing the storage will delete all the data for the app, so you’ll likely have to reconfigure the settings for Android Auto.
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Android Auto doesn’t connect automatically every time. Under Android Auto settings, find the “Activate Android UI” option. Select the icon option to activate Automatic (when connecting). Tap to switch between Automatic and Manual Activation. AA Settings: Automatically activate the AAuto user interface
Bluetooth Audio
Setting Up Bluetooth for A2DP Music Streaming
- Open the phone’s Bluetooth settings and set the phone to search for available Bluetooth devices.
- Select the BT Audio icon at the bottom of the VLite VT2’s home screen.
- Your phone will be listed under Bluetooth audio devices with the option “tap to pair.”
- Tap on the phone you want to connect to and wait for it to fully connect.
Bluetooth Audio Streaming
The VLite VT2 displays the current song information in the top left corner of the home screen. Selecting the number in the top left corner of the screen will take you to the Bluetooth player with music skipping/repeating functions. With the arrow At the bottom of the page, navigate back to the VLite VT2 home screen. You can use the steering wheel controls and car stereo buttons to go to the next song or return to the previous song.
Wi-Fi and Periodic Updates
You will need to connect VLite VT2 to the internet to perform periodic firmware and software updates.
How to connect the VLite VT2 to the Internet
- On iPhone: Settings — >Personal Hotspot. Turn it on and set a password.
- On the Android phone: Settings –> Connections–> Mobile Hotspot and Connect.
Turn on the mobile hotspot and select it on the Vlite. Make sure your smartphone supports Wi-Fi. You can also connect the Vlite directly to your home’s Wi-Fi network if the car is close by.
- On the home screen of VLite VT2, go to Support –> Connecting to Wi-Fi and select “Click here to connect to Wi-Fi”.
- Select the Wi-Fi network you want to connect to, enter the password, and click “Connect.”
VLite VT2 System Updates
You need to connect the VLite VT2 to the internet to perform the system updates. Once you have connected the VLite VT2 to a hotspot or Wi-Fi network, go to the Support app on the home screen of VLite VT2. Go to the ‘Update VLite VT2’ section and tap ‘Check for Updates’. Select “Check for updates.” You will then be able to download and install the latest firmware and software.
Settings
Sound Adjustment
The audio settings of the VLite VT2 are adjusted by the sound settings of your factory head unit. To access the factory settings, select “AUTO SETTINGS” at the bottom right of the VLite home screen, and it will take you to the factory interface with the audio settings. Then return to the VLite VT2 stereo source by pressing FM –> VLite.
System Language
If you want to change the Android menu language, select “SUPPORT” and scroll down the page and select “All Settings.” Find “Language & Input” and go to your preferred language.
Factory Reset
To factory reset the VLite VT2, select “SUPPORT” and scroll down. Select “All Settings” and find “Backup & Reset.” Select “Factory Data Reset” to reset the VLite VT2 to factory defaults. Please note that a factory reset will erase your settings and connections. You’ll then need to reconnect all the devices and change your settings again.
Adjusting the Screen’s Brightness and Contrast
You may need to adjust the screen brightness and contrast for the VLite VT2 (usually in older vehicles). Use the original factory settings to adjust the brightness and contrast for the VLite VT2. On the home screen of the VLite VT2, select ‘CAR SETTINGS’. It will lead you to the factory interface, where you can customize the display settings for the VLite VT2. Return to the VLite VT2 screen by pressing FM –> VLite VT2 stereo mode.
