If you own an old car, say, around seven or eight years old, you might feel like you missed out on new-age infotainment systems by a whisker. And now, seeing modern cars all around can make you long for an upgrade. So, what can you do then to bring your old car in tune with the times? Can you retrofit an infotainment system that packs modern bells and whistles? Well, of course, you can!
There’s no dearth of aftermarket touchscreens on the market; however, getting a reliable unit can be tricky. So, it’s always better to stick to well-known brands, like Uno Minda. For the uninitiated, Uno Minda is a leading automotive component maker with over 70 years of experience in the business. They have more than 73 manufacturing units worldwide and supply components to leading OEMs. They are also quite popular in the aftermarket accessories space, with more than 30 products on offer. Let’s just say that Uno Minda is a name that you can trust for your car.
Uno Minda recently entered into the world of aftermarket infotainment systems, and a couple of weeks ago, they offered us one of their newly launched touchscreens – the WTUNES-649TAACP – for testing. Now, the name is a bit of a mouthful for sure, but to make it easier for you to understand, it’s a 9-inch Android-based infotainment touchscreen. Headlined by a T5 processor, along with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal memory, it supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity and runs on Android 11 OS. It also comes with 360-degree camera compatibility.
Unboxing & Installation
In the box, you’ll find a touchscreen (obviously!), a power cable, a mic, an antenna, camera inputs, and USB cables. We installed it in a 2014 Ford EcoSport Titanium, which came with Ford's SYNC system.
In addition to what’s packed in the box, you need two extra components – a CAN bus and a frame for the screen – to install the unit. The former allows the Android touchscreen to communicate with the car’s in-built functions so that it can relay messages on the screen. This ensures that you retain the outgoing unit’s functions, including information/controls via steering-mounted buttons, door open / lock warning, air-conditioning settings, etc. It’s a requirement for the EcoSport, but you can do without it in other cars. For the EcoSport, the CAN bus costs around ₹2,500. The frame on the other hand costs around ₹1200 and is easily available offline. The best thing about the installation process is that you don’t have to tamper with the wiring, as every connection can be plugged directly.
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The Touch Performance
The infotainment screen is similar to an OE-fitted screen in modern cars, although it runs its own UI. Navigating through different menus is straightforward and quite intuitive. The wireless connectivity via Android Auto / Apple CarPlay is smooth and works seamlessly. I must say that the touch response is simply brilliant, making it feel like a quality item. In terms of functionality, think of it as a large Android tablet mounted on the dashboard. This means that you can customise it to suit your preferences and download different apps, including Spotify and YouTube – yes, it can also play videos! However, that’s a potential safety issue. That said, you can disable this feature in the settings, so it won’t work when the car is moving.
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Thanks to its 4GB of RAM, there’s no lag while navigating through the menus. However, it does lack the finesse of an OEM screen. For instance, at times, it doesn’t automatically switch to ‘Dark Mode’ when the headlamps are turned on. Similarly, the mic quality isn’t as good as it was on the OE system. Another thing that I have noticed is that there’s no provision to display graphic warnings for parking sensors – the car we used didn’t have a camera and relied on graphic / audio warnings for reverse parking previously. Overall, these are minor compromises and shouldn’t be a deal breaker, for this aftermarket screen is nearly as good as an OE-spec unit, even if not quite there yet.
Verdict
At a sticker price of ₹34,990, Uno Minda’s WTunes infotainment touchscreen may come across as a pricey proposition. However, given the functionality, convenience, and the touch of modernity and premium factor it brings to your ageing car, it’s truly worth the price. What’s more, you can always get one at discounted rates on Amazon or at your local aftermarket accessory shops if you do a little bit of homework. Overall, I’d say that it’s a must for anyone looking to upgrade the cabin of their old car and make it feel a bit more special with a range of modern features and connectivity options, without upgrading the car itself.
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