For millions of drivers, the car they love is held back by the technology they loathe. If your vehicle rolled off the assembly line between 2010 and 2017, you likely have a factory infotainment system that feels prehistoric compared to the supercomputer in your pocket. You have a beautiful screen, perhaps even a navigation system—but it is clunky, the maps are outdated, and the voice recognition misunderstands every command.
The Road Top decoder is about the size of a deck of cards. You tuck it behind the glovebox or inside the center console cavity. You run a microphone (for Siri/phone calls) up the A-pillar.
Road Top does not work with Ford Sync, Chevy MyLink, or Tesla. Part 7: Troubleshooting Common "Update" Failures Even with a perfect install, things go wrong. Here is the Road Top support cheat sheet. roadtop carplay update
This article provides an exhaustive deep dive into the Road Top ecosystem, covering the installation process, compatibility, feature breakdown, and a realistic comparison against factory upgrades. Before we turn a single screwdriver, we must clarify terminology. In the automotive world, an "update" usually means a software patch. However, for most older cars, a software update alone cannot install Apple CarPlay or Android Auto because the underlying hardware (the processor and the lack of a required Wi-Fi/Bluetooth chipset) is missing.
Introduction: The Infotainment Dilemma
| Brand | Models Supported | Factory Screen Required | Known Issues | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 Series (CIC & NBT systems) | 6.5" or 8.8" | None. Gold standard. | | Audi | A3, A4, A5, A6, Q5 (MMI 3G+) | Non-touch screen | Audio via AUX only. | | Mercedes | A/B/C/E/GLK Class (NTG 4.0/4.5) | 7" Command screen | Scroll wheel click required for selection (no touch). | | Lexus | RX, NX, IS, GS (2014-2019) | Mouse/Joystick screen | Slight cursor lag on mouse. | | Mazda | MX-5, Mazda 3 (2014-2018) | TomTom based screen | Requires USB hub swap. |
This is not an "update" to your car's system, but rather a second screen. It plugs into your 12V cigarette lighter. It has a built-in speaker (or uses FM transmitter to play through your radio). For millions of drivers, the car they love
The video signal runs through a yellow LVDS cable. You must unplug the factory video cable from the back of the screen and insert the Road Top cable in between. This cable is fragile. If you bend the pins, you will lose your screen.
