Recently collected a new Panda Cross TA in metallic grey (changed from a 2008 Panda Cross multijet). Am getting to grips with all the new styling, positioning of switches etc but something defeating me is one issue with the new UConnect system....... I know there may be a limited number of people with this system yet who can help, but here goes.....!

I can get the phone app to play my music stored on my phone using Google Play and I can then also use Google Maps through the app. Music plays and mutes to allow directions over the car speakers from Google maps. So far, so good!

What I can't seem to do in the phone app is to have the radio playing instead of my music and also use Google maps - it seems to be one or the other, if you see what I mean.

I can't decide if I am being stupid or if the ability to have the radio playing whilst using Google maps via the app is not possible!

PS Spec of Panda:

• Cross TA in grey
• Tinted rear windows
• Winter pack (heated seats and windscreen)
• Spare wheel
• Dealer fitted reversing sensors (the car was already in production and built when I ordered it so no factory fit available)

Likely not possible, as you will need to choose either to 'play' the Bluetooth, line in or radio sources I'm guessing. The only exception will likely be when using TA on the radio, as it should be able to interrupt other sources with traffic announcements.

Now, you do have options but they all rely on one source to do it all. I have a Windows phone so it depends how yours works, but I guess you can get the phone's FM radio to play through the line in and use that instead of Bluetooth. If you don't like that, you can use an internet radio app on your phone.

You could always just get the phone to use its internal speaker so you get both radio and satnav at the same time. Works with my aftermarket TomTom.

I too am finding this frustrating. I think that you have to switch out of the phone app using either voice commands or the source button to get back to radio. Just as I was thinking of ripping the unit out and getting a normal one it seemed to start to obey.... Keep at it! Good luck.

We had exactly the same issue - the solution is quite simple.

You'll have noticed that even if you are listening to the radio, an incoming phone call will over-ride that and come over the uconnect system. You simply need to tell Google maps to send navigation messages as 'phone calls' rather than normal audio.

I'm on iPhone so it might be a little different on Android. For me the setting was in Google Maps - Settings - Navigation Settings - Play as Bluetooth Phone Call. There is a similar setting in Apple Maps.

Job done.

I would say that I find it a little flaky. I've had to stop the car a couple of time, switch off, and back on again for it all to start working again. But generally it works fine.

Please let me know how you get on!

Steve

Thanks to everyone so far - I am glad it isn't just me being stupid! I will have a look in detail at your suggestions and thoughts when I am sat in the car and having the next 'play' with the app....

Wouldn't it be nice if there was some way that we could tell Fiat the shortcomings/issues/suggestions for development?

trevorwat said:

Wouldn't it be nice if there was some way that we could tell Fiat the shortcomings/issues/suggestions for development?

Click to expand...

Just an update on my experience so far...

UConnect will allow me to listen to the radio and have Google maps with both playing through the car speakers as long as I use a radio app in UConnect (thanks for the suggestion AndyCalling). This is the only way I seem able to have both. BUT the voice instructions in Google Maps get cut off part through and obviously if there is not enough phone signal then the radio goes off!

So, at present, I am using an old smartphone with no SIM on which I have installed Google navigate (via wireless at home). It works fine - with no SIM the only thing it doesn't seem to do is live traffic updates. It isn't Bluetoothed to the car and I just hear its instructions through the phone's speakers (settings set to 'loudest'). I then can listen to the car radio as normal.

This also means I don't have to take my normal phone out of its case as it won't fit in the dashboard holder in a case! I also then just receive phone calls through the normal bluetooth settings and listen to 'other' music via a USB stick plugged into socket in the glovebox.

So, at present, the only useful bit of the new UConnect system to me is the phone holder itself and the USB charging socket next to it. However, hopefully there may be some updates to the UConnect app in the future so I will try again then...!

Steve67GTV said:

We had exactly the same issue - the solution is quite simple.

You'll have noticed that even if you are listening to the radio, an incoming phone call will over-ride that and come over the uconnect system. You simply need to tell Google maps to send navigation messages as 'phone calls' rather than normal audio.

I'm on iPhone so it might be a little different on Android. For me the setting was in Google Maps - Settings - Navigation Settings - Play as Bluetooth Phone Call. There is a similar setting in Apple Maps.

Job done.

I would say that I find it a little flaky. I've had to stop the car a couple of time, switch off, and back on again for it all to start working again. But generally it works fine.

Please let me know how you get on!

Steve

Click to expand...

I hope you never need the system to navigate you to a maternity unity in a hurry!!

I spoke to customer services UK and had a call back from Fiat in Italy, I think they listen. I had my two penny worth about the uconnect. The crowing glory of this U/S system is I put a standard 64Gb stick into the glove box socket and made the fatal error of closing the lid. Result, broken USB stick! Use an extension cable to avoid doing this!!

If it is any help, I use a USB Ultra fit stick that fits ok - I didn't actually know that you could get 'short' USB sticks like these until recently!

Thanks very much for the offer, I have found I do have a short stick and also a short USB extension cable. Some two part epoxy has mended the stick too, but it should not have been necessary. It does make you wonder whether anyone actually tried this system before putting the car on sale with it fitted!

Actually, if this extract from an interview with our local police is anything to go by, the new mobile phone laws in the UK make the whole concept of UConnect as a "cheap" means of providing a touchscreen a complete nonsense. If you think about trying to use the phone for music AND satnav particularly......See complete interview

So can anyone tell me if the new law covers built in touch screens like the ones in Mercedes, Audis, BMWs, Range Rovers, Lexus, and so on? The Tesla has a 12" x 6" Ipad style screen in the centre column that controls everything from the heating to the music but you have to look down to operate it. Surly that is worse than the Panda cradle.

Acting Inspector Phil Grieve is talking through his orifice. The relevant regulations, which have been in force since 2003, prohibit the use of a hand-held mobile phone or similar device. There's a recent, very useful House of Commons Library Briefing document (available here: http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN00366/SN00366.pdf) that explains the legal position. It quotes from the Minister's statement when the 2003 regulations were introduced:

"The offence would apply to drivers speaking or listening to a phone call, using a device interactively for accessing any sort of data, which would include the Internet, sending or receiving text messages or other images if it was held in the driver's hand during at least part of the period of its operation. Within the context of holding a phone, pushing buttons on a phone while in a cradle or being operated via buttons on the steering wheel ... would not breach the new law" (italics supplied)

All that the recent legal changes have done is to ramp up the penalty for use of a hand-held device. They have not changed the essential nature of the offence, which remains as it has been since 2003.

So it's clearly arrant nonsense to say that it's now unlawful to touch a mobile phone screen, or any other touch-screen, while driving a car. Owners of Mercs, Audis, BMWs, Teslas etc can therefore continue to drive at speed 6 feet from your bumper while playing with their touch-screens to their hearts' content.