Short on CarPlay? Try this: OEM Doctor

In our industry, CarPlay and Android Auto radios are big casualties of the shortages that are now part of our every day work lives. CarPlay and Android Auto are among the hottest features in the aftermarket today and customers want to replace their factory radios in order to get them.  But these radios are in short supply and we are all familiar with the problem of receiving a shipment of two radios when we ordered 20.

Fortunately, there is a way to keep customers happy.

Have you considered CarPlay/Android Auto accessories you add to the customer’s factory radio?

Accessory companies have taken a different approach to CarPlay/Android Auto and have developed modules with factory connectors and harnesses to make these features a plug and play add-on. They use the original factory touch screen radio and/or factory radio controls to operate the system while displaying the CarPlay/Android Auto experience right on your factory LCD.

There are a number of benefits in approaching CarPlay/Android Auto from this angle. First, the interfaces are in stock! “What’s in stock is the best thing to sell today!” They provide what the customer is looking for and they are user friendly. Also, salesmen get to make a sale and so they are kept happy.

The kits provide sizable profits. The average dealer cost of the modules range from $450 to $599, depending on the vehicle they fit (from a Chevy Silverado to Rolls Royce or even a Bentley). Retail prices to the consumer can be doubled.  Typically, the modules also offer wireless CarPlay, single or multiple camera inputs with or without dynamic parking lines and rapid charging via USB.

Traditionally, we’ve looked to sales of a new radio, speakers, amplifier etc. We have built long-standing businesses from it, and under normal circumstances, it serves each of us well. But today’s selling environment can barely support this.

Over the past five years, OEMs have spent time and money to constantly increase the vehicle owner’s user experience relating to the factory radio.  They’ve added features such as full touch screen, High Definition panels in sizes from 7.0 to 8.4” and satellite radio and smartphone integration. We can make use of these radios with CarPlay/Android interface kits and even navigation kits.

Despite the popularity of smartphone navigation,there is still a huge demand for in-car navigation.  Some companies have developed factory original navigation solutions that can take the existing vehicle configuration you are looking to upgrade, and sell you the necessary components to provide the vehicle with a factory official solution that has been coded to the VIN number of the vehicle and calibrated to go in quickly while protecting the customer’s original factory experience.

A word to the wise though. There are some companies out there that claim to be “EXPERTS” in this field, but they attempt to peddle salvage or scrap components or reprogram units that don’t belong in the vehicles you use. Make sure you do your research.