Just bought a 2026 NX 350h. Previously owned 2000 and 2011 RX’s. Technology has come a LONG since 2011! Have just about got the NX programmed but I need some help understanding the difference between connecting my iPhone using Bluetooth vs using CarPlay (which is new to me). Thoughts?

 

Two separate items: Bluetooth is the way you connect your phone to your car. Apple Play is basically an app that allows you to see your iphone along with selected apps on your car's audio screen.

 

Thanks. So how do I switch to phone via Bluetooth while driving… the source button?

 

We have used Bluetooth for 15 years to connect our phones and devices. BT does not have enough bandwidth for the Navigation Apps so the phones switch to WiFi. Our phones use WiFi at home, work and airports, the car now can use WiFi for the Apple Car Play / Android Auto. We start out by pairing the Bluetooth. When you open the Lexus Settings / Bluetooth and Devices / "your phone's name" screen it will bring up a display with three (3) sliders. Upper two (2) are for Bluetooth, one for phone and one for media. The third one at the bottom is labeled Apple Car Play or Android Auto. Tapping this slider will pair up the WiFi connection. BT and WiFi are mutually exclusive, one or the other.

 

To make it simpler, in your settings on your phone select or search for apple carplay. You'll be shown how to connect your car to CarPlay on your phone's screen. It's very simple. After that you make sure you have Apple CarPlay turned on on your phone and the connection actions are now seamless. Enter your car, turn it on, your phone automatically connects through carplay and you can view it on your centre screen. This is the wireless carplay scenario. As an option you can connect the cable from the smart USB to your phone and it will make the wired connection.

 

Small added bonus of the tandem Blue Tooth and WiFi connections is that you can now have two devices connected to the car at the same time, one on BT and the other on WiFi. The cars still cannot connect to more than one BT at a time, but when one is on WiFi now you can. Means that the second phone can get a call and take it over the car's speakers & microphone. As always, if you wish to take the call privately when driving with passengers you can just (illegally) answer the call by touching the phone's controls instead of the car's controls and take the phone to your ear.

 

That's how my wife and I have our car set up. I'm on CarPlay and she is BlueTooth. Seems to work best this way for us. We both get notifications from text either of us while together can still recieve calls.