Mercedes Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto NTG5.x
Price range: £495.00 through £695.00
More and more Mercedes Benz new cars come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. However, many Mercedes do not have the options built into the head units. For these vehicles we have now developed a new Mercedes Wireless Apple CarPlay SmartBox solution that will enable CarPlay to any Mercedes 2015 to 2018 with NTG5.X Comand or Audio 20 with Garmin Sat Nav. If you are unsure which Comand or Audio 20 you have, check our Head-unit Version Fact Sheet.
The centre dash trim and radio need to be removes to install this product. The connections are Plug & Play.
Apple CarPlay connects wirelessly or via USB cable. Android Auto connects by USB cable, or wirelessly on late Samsung phones (and a few others)
The device operates in a very similar way to the factory fitted option. Control is from the main Comand Controller in the centre of the car. Selecting USB on the MEDIA menu will switch the sound. Subsequently, pressing and holding the ‘Back’ button on the Comand Controller or steering wheel will switch the video. Also, the Star button on the Comand Controller will activate Siri.
Important Note
The system differs in the way it selects audio and video separately. If Audio & Video are both switched across to CarPlay then the system will work totally seamlessly. This is great if you are listening to music from your phone (iTunes, Spotify, etc). CarPlay navigation commands will interrupt as expected.
If however, you choose to listen to the car system (eg. FM/DAB radio, CD etc), you will need to switch away the audio from the Mercedes Wireless Apple CarPlay SmartBox to select your source. This means that the CarPlay SmartBox has no way of switching it’s sound back on. Using an internet radio player will enable seamless radio and navigation. This does not affect the in-built navigation.
Compatibility
This system will work with the following cars:
AMG GT 190 – 2015 to 2019 NTG5.2
A Class 176 – 2015 to 2018 NTG5.1
B Class 246 – 2015 to 2018 NTG5.1
C Class 205 – 2015 to 2019 NTG5.2
CLA Class 117 – 2016 to 2019 NTG5.1
CLS Class 218 – 2016 to 2019 NTG5.1
E Class 212 – 2015 to 2016 NTG5.1
GLA Class 156 – 2016 to 2019 NTG5.1
GLC Class 253 – 2016 to 2019 NTG5.2
GLE Class 166 – 2015 to 2017 NTG5.1
GLE Coupe 292 – 2015 to 2017 NTG5.1
GLS Class X166 – 2016 to 2017 NTG5.1
S Class 222 – 2015 to 2017 NTG5.5
S Coupe 217 – 2015 to 2017 NTG5.5
SL Class 231 – 2016 to 2017 NTG5.1
SLC Class 172 – 2016 to 2020 NTG5.1
X Class 470 – 2018 on NTG5.2
If you are unsure which Comand or Audio 20 you have, check our Head-unit Version Fact Sheet.
For alternative options and Comand/Audio 20 versions, check out the products below:
Installations carried out in our workshop to cars with COMAND will include connecting our diagnostic computers to activate an additional item in your 'Media' carousel. To select Audio for CarPlay will involve selecting 'AUX' on this menu to offer a direct sound connection to your system.Â
When self-installing, the kit includes a USB-AUX adapter which will connect to your USB sockets in your centre armrest. Then simply select 'Media Interface' on the Media carousel to achieve your sound connection.Â
Cars with Audio 20 (with Garmin Sat Nav) can only use the USB-AUX connection.Â
Mark Kenyon –
Great bit of kit, this certainly made life with my 2016 C43 much more fun….seamless Whatsapp messaging via Audio (safe/easy) Radioplayer radio for significantly more options than Comand, Waze integration etc…you name it, it all worked very well. I found the audio quality better via Bluetooth, but AUX was ok at lower volumes. Ive just bought a 2012 SL, and will be buying another unit for that