OpenXPlay shows iPhone CarPlay on Android head units that can’t install apps. A relay — an Android phone or a small Linux device — connects to the iPhone and passes CarPlay to software the head unit already has, such as its browser or a Carlink app.
OpenXPlay is for drivers who want CarPlay but can’t install third-party apps on their Android head unit. Nothing is installed on the head unit and its system is never modified: a phone or an external device does the receiving and connecting, and CarPlay appears through an entry point the head unit already has.
| Your head unit | What to use |
|---|---|
| Can’t install apps | OpenXPlay: a phone or external device does the work, and CarPlay appears in the head unit’s browser, its Carlink app or a similar entry point. |
| Can install apps | DiPlay: install the app on a compatible Android head unit, which receives and shows CarPlay itself. |
Developers can build on the same pieces: inputs, outputs and relays that talk to each other only through one shared session model. See Developers and licensing.
An iPhone connects to a relay — an Android phone running the OpenXPlay Relay app, or a small Linux device such as the UFI003 USB dongle. The relay acts as the CarPlay receiver and passes video, audio and touch on to the head unit.
Today the relay delivers CarPlay to these head-unit entry points:
| Entry point | How it works | Touch | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Browser (web receiver) | H.264 video over a secure WebSocket, decoded with WebCodecs | Yes | In development |
| Carlink app | Over Wi-Fi | Yes | Experimental |
| Screen-casting receivers (DLNA) | Casting | No | Planned |
Think of OpenXPlay as a set of CarPlay building blocks that you combine freely: Android, Linux and iOS implementations; USB, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections; and browser or Carlink display paths. It covers what some commercial CarPlay boxes do and adds more ways to connect and display. Combined, the technologies in this project make up to 28 solutions, so you can pick the one that fits your head unit and the devices you already have.
| Metric | Usage / cost |
|---|---|
| Resident memory | 4.3 MB |
| Disk space | 5 MB |
| Hardware cost | From CNY 15 / USD 3, excluding the MFi part |
These figures are for a specific solution and configuration. Actual usage and cost depend on the solution, the devices and the environment.
Share how OpenXPlay works with your head unit, swap experiences, report problems, and help test and develop the project.
| Channel | How to join |
|---|---|
| Discord | discord.gg/j3cKd5Tax |
| QQ group | 1015739350, or scan the QR code below |
| WeChat group | Scan the QR code below |
When you report a compatibility problem, include the head unit model, its system version, the route you used and what happened. A report from Check your head unit helps too.
