CarPlay Screen Radio for Mercedes Sprinter W906 and VW Crafter (2006-2016): how to install Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

The Mercedes Sprinter W906 and the first-generation Volkswagen Crafter are the same vehicle with two different badges: they were built alongside each other and share bodywork, cab and — what matters here — the same radio aperture and the same connector. It is the delivery, construction and camper-conversion van of choice across Europe, and also one of the vehicles that aged worst when it comes to multimedia.

Anyone who drives a Sprinter of this generation knows it: the Audio 10 or Audio 15 fitted at the factory is a head unit with a two-line display, no navigation, Bluetooth that sometimes does not even show up, and in many fleet vehicles simply a blanking plate. Spending eight hours a day in there with your phone in your hand makes no sense when an Android head unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto handles navigation, calls, music and work apps on a single screen.

Does the Sprinter W906 have CarPlay as standard?

No. Neither the Sprinter W906 nor the Crafter 2E/2F ever left the factory with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. The units you may find in a vehicle of this generation are:

• Audio 10 / Audio 15: a 1 DIN radio with a monochrome display, CD and, in the final years, phone Bluetooth. No navigation and no phone mirroring.
• Becker MAP PILOT or Audio 50 APS: on better-equipped trims, with built-in navigation that is already outdated and maps that cost a fortune to update.
• An empty aperture: common on company vans and on chassis cabs destined for conversion.
• RCD 310 / RNS 310 in the case of the Crafter, with exactly the same limitations.

CarPlay only reached the Sprinter with the jump to the following generation and its MBUX system. There is no official software update that adds CarPlay to a W906: the hardware does not support it. Replacing the unit is the only option, and fortunately on this van it is one of the most satisfying installations there is.

The solution: an Android head unit for the Sprinter W906 and Crafter

The head unit designed for the W906 and Crafter has the fascia built into the housing, so it fills the original aperture and sits flush with the dashboard. In such a large cab, going from a two-line display to a proper touchscreen is an enormous change.

• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to bring Google Maps, Waze, Spotify and your calls to the screen, with voice control so you never let go of the wheel.
• Capacitive touchscreen of generous size and good brightness, which matters in a tall cab with plenty of light coming in from the sides.
• Android with the Play Store: install your logistics operator's app, your route manager, the digital tachograph, TuneIn or whatever you use daily.
• Built-in GPS with offline navigation that works with no phone and no coverage: in industrial units and underground loading bays you will be glad of it.
• Reversing and front camera inputs (depending on model). On a blind panel van with no rear window, a reversing camera stops being an extra and becomes safety equipment.
• Bluetooth 5.0 with an external microphone, FM/RDS, several USB ports, an RCA output for an amplifier and a configurable equaliser.
• Working steering wheel controls through the included CAN Bus adapter.

Compatibility: supported versions

The unit is designed for the cab shared by Mercedes and Volkswagen in these years:

• Mercedes-Benz Sprinter W906, 2006 to 2016: panel van, crew van, chassis cab and double cab, in every length and roof height.
• Volkswagen Crafter 2E and 2F, 2006 to 2016, which shares its dashboard with the Sprinter.
• Motorhomes and campers built on a Sprinter W906 or Crafter chassis, one of the most common uses for this head unit.
• Mercedes-Benz Vito and Viano W639 in some variants, although for those models it is worth confirming the aperture because the fascia differs.

What you should check before ordering is whether your van has an original audio amplifier and whether the radio aperture is 1 DIN with a tray underneath or already prepared for 2 DIN. On units that came with factory navigation the connector is different and an extra adapter may be needed. Send us a photo of the dashboard and we will confirm it before you buy.

What is the installation like?

It is plug & play: everything connects onto the original connectors, with no cutting or splicing of the van's wiring. Allow between 45 minutes and an hour and a half depending on whether you fit a camera.

1. Disconnect the negative battery terminal. On vans with two batteries or a camper installation, disconnect the auxiliary one too if it feeds the dashboard.
2. Remove the trim surround around the radio area with a plastic tool. It is clipped in, so pull firmly but progressively.
3. Extract the original unit, which on the Sprinter is usually held by screws or DIN release keys depending on the equipment, and disconnect power, speakers and aerial.
4. Connect the CAN Bus adapter between the original connector and the new head unit. This is the part that keeps the steering wheel controls, the ignition signal and reverse gear detection.
5. Place the GPS aerial at the base of the windscreen and run the microphone to the A-pillar or roof lining, close to the driver: that is what makes the difference on calls while driving.
6. If you are fitting a reversing camera, run the video cable along the side sill of the floor to the rear doors. Do it before you close the dashboard back up.
7. Seat the screen, reconnect and test everything: four speakers, steering wheel controls, GPS, Bluetooth and, if fitted, the camera with reverse gear engaged.

If your Sprinter has an amplified aerial —very common— you will need a powered aerial adapter so FM comes through cleanly. It is a part costing a few euros that avoids a very typical post-installation complaint.

How much does it cost to add CarPlay to a Sprinter W906?

At an official dealer the answer is usually blunt: it cannot be done. There is no approved CarPlay retrofit for the W906, and what they propose instead is a period navigation unit with paid maps that still gives you neither Google Maps nor WhatsApp.

The model-specific head unit arrives complete, with screen, fascia, wiring and CAN Bus adapter in the same box, and you pay once. Fitting it yourself there is no labour, and at a workshop it is around an hour. You will find the current price and the screen and memory variants on the product page.

Frequently asked questions

Does it work the same on a Crafter as on a Sprinter?
Yes. The Crafter 2E/2F of these years shares its dashboard and connector with the Sprinter W906, so the same head unit and the same fascia fit both.

I have a motorhome on a Sprinter chassis. Is anything different?
The installation is identical, because the cab does not change when a van is converted. The only thing: check what cables the converter has added behind the radio (solar panels, battery cut-offs, inverters) before you take anything apart.

Do I keep the factory Bluetooth and my phonebook?
Bluetooth becomes the new head unit's, which is far better: stable pairing, synchronised phonebook and stereo audio. The original module is simply left unused.

Can I fit two cameras, rear and front?
Depending on the model you choose, yes. The versions with dual video inputs allow a rear and a front camera, which on a long van parking in town makes a noticeable difference.

Can the original radio be put back?
Yes. Since no wiring is cut, the installation is reversible: keep the original unit and the adapter and you can return to factory condition in half an hour if you ever sell the van.

See the CarPlay head unit for the Mercedes Sprinter W906 and VW Crafter

You can see it at CarPlay and Android Auto Screen Radio for Mercedes Sprinter W906 and VW Crafter 2E 2F (2006-2016), with integrated fascia and model-specific wiring. If you are unsure which unit your van has as standard, write to us with a photo of the dashboard and we will confirm the right variant before you order.