CarPlay Interface for Audi A1 and Q3 with RMC (2012-2018): how to install Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

The Audi A1 and the first-generation Audi Q3 are two of the best-selling Audis of the last decade in Spain: one as a premium city car, the other as a compact family SUV. They share one detail that drives their owners up the wall: the screen that rises out of the dashboard looks great, the RMC system works well… but it has neither Apple CarPlay nor Android Auto, so your phone is left out.

For these cars there is an alternative to replacing the whole head unit: a CarPlay interface that sits between the original system and the screen, adding wireless CarPlay and Android Auto while keeping the factory look of the interior. It is the most elegant option when you like your Audi's screen and simply want it to talk to your phone.

Do the Audi A1 or Q3 with RMC have CarPlay as standard?

In the vast majority of units, no. The RMC (Radio Media Center) system fitted to these models predates the phone integration Audi later sold under the name Audi Smartphone Interface, and only a few very late cars left the factory ready for it.

What an A1 or a Q3 with RMC usually comes with is:

• Retractable colour screen in the centre of the dashboard, operated with the rotary controller on the console.
• Factory navigation with maps on a card or hard drive, requiring paid updates.
• Bluetooth for calls and, depending on the version, audio streaming.
• Audi Music Interface with a wired connection to play music from your phone, but without mirroring the apps on screen.

The result: you can make phone calls and listen to music, but you cannot see Google Maps, Waze or Spotify on the car's screen, nor use voice messaging while you drive.

The solution: CarPlay interface for Audi A1 and Q3 (RMC)

The interface is a small box that connects between the RMC module and the original screen. Nothing visible is replaced: when you activate it, your Audi's own screen displays the CarPlay or Android Auto image, and when you exit it returns to the factory menu. It includes:

• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with no cables across the console.
• Use of the original screen of the A1 or the Q3, with the same image quality.
• Control with the rotary knob and the original buttons on the centre console.
• Bluetooth and hands-free calls through CarPlay itself.
• Navigation with Google Maps or Waze from your phone, always up to date and with real-time traffic.
• Plug and play installation, with no cutting of wires and no changes to the dashboard.

The big advantage over an aftermarket head unit is that the Audi's interior stays exactly as it left the factory, something that matters quite a lot when it comes to selling the car.

Compatibility with Audi A1 and Q3: supported versions

This interface is designed for Audis equipped with the RMC system in its H and NR variants:

• Audi A1 (8X), both three-door and Sportback, with RMC screen.
• Audi Q3 (8U) of the first generation, including the RS Q3, with RMC screen.
• Units built approximately between 2012 and 2018, which is when this system was fitted.
• Valid with or without factory navigation, as long as the screen is the RMC one.

Before buying it is worth identifying the system properly: Audis with MMI 3G or MMI 3G+ (common on the A4, A6 or Q7) use a different interface, and those fitted with Concert or Symphony without a central screen are not compatible with this unit. In those cases the alternative is a complete screen head unit, such as the CarPlay head unit for the Audi A1 or the one for the Audi Q3. You will find the whole range reviewed in the guide to CarPlay screens for Audi.

What is the installation like?

Since the screen is not replaced, fitting is less invasive than with a complete head unit, although you do have to take the console apart to reach the RMC module.

1. Disconnect the negative battery terminal and wait a few minutes.
2. Get to the RMC module: depending on the model it sits behind the centre console or in the radio bay, under the trim panels.
3. Release the screen connector (LVDS) and the system's power connector.
4. Insert the interface using the supplied cables: the original signal goes in and the signal with CarPlay comes out.
5. Connect the microphone near the rear-view mirror if you are going to use the one included in the kit, so that calls sound clear.
6. Secure the interface box in a ventilated space inside the dashboard, without resting it on moving cables.
7. Reconnect the battery and pair your phone over Bluetooth and WiFi to activate wireless CarPlay.
8. Check the source switch (usually a long press on an original button) and that the screen returns to the Audi menu when you exit.

All the wiring is plug and play and reversible: if you remove the interface, the car goes back to how it was.

How much does it cost to add CarPlay to an Audi A1 or Q3?

At the dealership, enabling phone integration on a car that did not leave the factory ready for it is not always possible: in many cases it means replacing the multimedia module with one from a later generation and carrying out the corresponding coding, with the cost that involves and with no guarantee that the unit will accept it.

The aftermarket interface avoids that route: it keeps the car's original hardware and adds CarPlay and Android Auto for a fraction of what it costs to change the system. The current price and the photos of the kit are on the product page.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if my Audi has RMC?
RMC is the retractable screen system operated with the rotary controller, without the second joystick-type controller of the large MMI. If you are unsure, send us a photo of the console and the screen switched on and we will confirm it for you.

Does CarPlay show on the original screen?
Yes. The interface feeds the image into the factory screen; no extra screen is added to the dashboard.

Can I still use the Audi navigation?
Yes. The original system remains intact and you go back to it with one button. Many users end up using Google Maps out of convenience, but the factory navigation is not lost.

Does the rotary controller work with CarPlay?
Yes, the interface translates the movements of the controller and the original buttons into the CarPlay and Android Auto menus.

Is the interface better than replacing the whole head unit?
It depends on what you are after. The interface keeps the factory look and is less invasive; a complete screen head unit gives you a bigger touchscreen and a standalone Android system. If you like your Audi's interior just as it is, the interface is the natural choice.

See the CarPlay interface for Audi A1 and Q3 (RMC)

You will find all the details and the photos of the kit on the product page for the CarPlay and Android Auto interface for the Audi A1 and Q3 with RMC (2012-2018). If you are not sure which system your car has, write to us with a photo of the screen and the centre console and we will confirm compatibility before you buy.