Question about Apple CarPlay & Infotainment -- Can it be fullscreened (to hide menu dock)?

[run4eb]

Hey everyone. I’m looking out for a TRD Pro at some point this year! Just wanted to check in with something because I can be an aesthetics bug.

I know many Tacoma owners were happy to see this update rolled out in April last year that has a fixed dock of the internal menu bank on Apple CarPlay.

I unfortunately have always loved the look of cars I have seen that have Apple CarPlay fit the aspect ratio of whatever screen it is on.

Now would anyone with a Tacoma, Lexus, or even new 6G happen to be able to answer if this button would have Apple CarPlay take over the screen and hide the menu dock? Thanks!

 

[Dead Horse]

That's exactly what it does.

 

[run4eb]

That's exactly what it does.

Awesome thanks man. I actually just saw a thread this morning with a link to an Instagram post showing the feature. First time I’ve seen that button on CarPlay. I’m now a fan of this update, the more options the better.

 

[Dead Horse]

Awesome thanks man. I actually just saw a thread this morning with a link to an Instagram post showing the feature. First time I’ve seen that button on CarPlay. I’m now a fan of this update, the more options the better.

I use Android, so I can also confirm for others reading this that it does exist for us too.

At least it did on the 24 Limited Tacoma I had for a week lol

 

[Keroppi]

I use Android, so I can also confirm for others reading this that it does exist for us too.

At least it did on the 24 Limited Tacoma I had for a week lol

1 week only? Do tell!

 

[Dead Horse]

1 week only? Do tell!

I needed something for a week long thing, and a Toyota dealership by me rents...Well...Toyotas. So I rented a hybrid Tacoma (they only had a Limited, but I wasn't that picky), because it was identical to the 4Runner in all ways, forward of the B-pillar anyway. I wanted to see if I could live with that interior, screen, etc...And to see how living with the 4 cylinder hybrid would be (I have a V8 Tundra). I liked it enough that the 4Runner is up around the top of my list. Enough to join this forum and watch how it's going LOL

 

[qtb007]

Awesome thanks man. I actually just saw a thread this morning with a link to an Instagram post showing the feature. First time I’ve seen that button on CarPlay. I’m now a fan of this update, the more options the better.

Is that image of the larger premium screen? Or the smaller non-premium screen? I'm assuming the larger of the 2.

My '23 GR Corolla doesn't have the double arrow button but my wife's '25 UX300h and my daily '24 bZ4x have the double arrow. The former has a smaller 7", typical aspect ratio screen and the latter 2 have the 13"-ish, widescreen aspect ratio screens. That got me wondering if the screen size had something to do with the double arrow option. FWIW, my carplay fills the entire screen on the Corolla. In order to access the OEM menu, I have to select the Toyota App in Carplay.

 

[run4eb]

Is that image of the larger premium screen? Or the smaller non-premium screen? I'm assuming the larger of the 2.

My '23 GR Corolla doesn't have the double arrow button but my wife's '25 UX300h and my daily '24 bZ4x have the double arrow. The former has a smaller 7", typical aspect ratio screen and the latter 2 have the 13"-ish, widescreen aspect ratio screens. That got me wondering if the screen size had something to do with the double arrow option. FWIW, my carplay fills the entire screen on the Corolla. In order to access the OEM menu, I have to select the Toyota App in Carplay.

Yes this is the larger 14” screen. I hear what you’re saying for sure. Interesting that the ‘23 Corolla doesn’t expand. I was thinking this rollout would be to at least all Toyota models since ‘23 regardless of screen size.
Possibly all models since ‘24? Because I do think the 8” screen in the 6G will have the double arrow expand option. Going to find some driving videos of trims with the 8” and will report back if I see it.

 

[Nodak]

I needed something for a week long thing, and a Toyota dealership by me rents...Well...Toyotas. So I rented a hybrid Tacoma (they only had a Limited, but I wasn't that picky), because it was identical to the 4Runner in all ways, forward of the B-pillar anyway. I wanted to see if I could live with that interior, screen, etc...And to see how living with the 4 cylinder hybrid would be (I have a V8 Tundra). I liked it enough that the 4Runner is up around the top of my list. Enough to join this forum and watch how it's going LOL

i am a toyota 4runner fan boi, but the reason is for the drive train in the old lmiteds and now the new limited/platinums.

i need the FT 4wd system for the winters i have to deal with in getting to work. the most i will engage the system is H4L (high 4wd locked, 50/50 split). otherwise i enjoy being in 4HF the rest of the time.

my commute to work can involve, hilly iced over stop signs/lighted intersections, to doing 70 mph drives to work that can go from clear pavement to black ice, big finger drifts into the driving lane, or having to turn around thru heavily drifted turn around points on the highway.

and having to deal with white out blizzard conditions or snow plow fog across the highway doesnt help either. i mean this year i have run into twice where the wind speed has even pushed my 4R at speed toward the road edge causing me to drive in the left lane to take advantage of the road pitch to keep me in the lane (most roads are sloped from the middle crown to the outside of the lane to aid in rain water drainage).

i think the last vehicle i had that was as close to a 4R was my old 2010 subaru legacy 3.6R before they switched to a cvt transmission. but he low ground clearance (5.8 in i think) was a hindrance at time up here in ND vs the 8.9 in clearance of the 4R.

the ability of the legacy to lock the center diff and being a real awd system compared to most awd system being inferior was a big plus for those old legacy's.

most of toyota awd are not full time, they are part time and engage when needed and most that let you lock the front/back are only locked until you hit 30mph and will disengage.

and that awd system will engage the brakes to control wheelspin to maintain a awd type of drive system on top of the computer regulating power distro to the wheel that needs it.

now this applies to new awd systems, very old toyota's with awd had a better version compared to now.

Called Dynamic Torque Control AWD, the system includes a transfer case integrated within the transmission with a driveshaft that leads to the rear wheels. An electromagnetic coupler between the driveshaft and the rear differential engages and disengages as needed, altering front/rear torque split between 100:0 and 50:50.

The system isn't able to vary power sent right and left once it hits the open rear differential, however. Instead, if the traction control system detects wheelslip on one wheel, it applies the brakes on that corner alone, equalizing the traction between both wheels and helping preserve (or re-initiate) forward momentum. However, braking to provide thrust is as counterintuitive as it sounds, even if it does effectively help route power to the wheel with grip.


Another limitation to the base system? The driveshaft is always spinning, even if the coupler isn't engaged, leading to some additional parasitic drag in the driveline. As equipped in the Camry, Toyota acknowledges a 3-mpg combined drop in EPA fuel economy testing due to the all-wheel-drive system.

Solving some of those woes in other Toyota all-wheel-drive offerings is Dynamic Torque Vectoring AWD with Driveline Disconnect. This surprisingly sophisticated system is found in the RAV4 TRD Off-Road, Adventure, and Limited, as well as the Highlander Limited and Highlander Platinum. As on the more basic system, the all-wheel-drive transfer case is integrated into the transmission, but between it and the driveshaft is a dog clutch that can completely disengage when only front-wheel-drive is needed, reducing drag on the system.

A second dog clutch between the driveshaft and the rear differential further improves the system's flexibility in metering out power appropriately. What's more, clutch packs in the differential itself provide active torque vectoring—when one wheel loses traction and starts spinning, the clutches engage, sending power to the other wheel. By reducing its dependence on the brake-based traction control, the system is even better at keeping the vehicle moving forward.

 

[qtb007]

My plant builds the transmission for the non-hybrid Highlander. The transfer case isn't integrated into the transmission at all. The only way you can tell the difference between an AWD and a FWD transaxle is the shape of the differential (to allow the transfer case to mate to it) and the flange on the housing where either the passenger side axle attaches or the transfer case attaches. There's no integrated transfer case inside the transaxle. It is still very much a stand alone transfer case.

I'm not sure what that quote is talking about different transfer cases, either. Both the DTC and DTV AWD systems use the same transfer case. The differences are really back at the differential. The DTC has the electromagnetic coupling on the prop shaft axis on the nose of the rear differential while the DTV has those couplers on the the axle axis of the differential.

Toyota's AWD systems have evolved mechanically but also in control. Back in the 90s, the front diffs were built into the transfer case and they were what I would call a more traditional AWD system. It hurt fuel efficiency because they were basically always engaged and/or had the parasitic drag. The 00s brought more of a slip and pray type of AWD system. Great for fuel efficiency, not so great for AWD capability. Very reactive unless you set the center diff lock button. These still had open front and rear diffs. Into the 10s and 20s, Toyota used the same mechanical system but changed the programming to automatically engage the 4WD when pulling away from a stop rather than relying on the diff lock button or waiting for a front wheel to slip. This has a relatively minor impact to fuel efficiency but uses the AWD capability more proactively. The DTV system is an evolution of the latest system to give more control left and right with the rear wheels. The front differentials have a spring preload on the side gears that acts as a soft LSD.

I was a big Subaru nut back in the day. The old 4EAT and VC AWD systems were really solid. But the fuel efficiency was garbage and they still had the problem of typically having open front and rear differentials. Now that Subaru has moved to CVTs, their AWD systems have also evolved. They get decent fuel economy now, but they've given up some of that all the time AWD capability in doing so. That's why you've seen the X-mode feature show up over the past decade. It is essentially software setting that sets the various AWD controls to the most aggressive setting as far as gaining grip... at the expense of fuel efficiency. IMO, most of the systems have converged in offering decent grip when needed and decent fuel economy the rest of the time.

 

[Nodak]

My plant builds the transmission for the non-hybrid Highlander. The transfer case isn't integrated into the transmission at all. The only way you can tell the difference between an AWD and a FWD transaxle is the shape of the differential (to allow the transfer case to mate to it) and the flange on the housing where either the passenger side axle attaches or the transfer case attaches. There's no integrated transfer case inside the transaxle. It is still very much a stand alone transfer case.

I'm not sure what that quote is talking about different transfer cases, either. Both the DTC and DTV AWD systems use the same transfer case. The differences are really back at the differential. The DTC has the electromagnetic coupling on the prop shaft axis on the nose of the rear differential while the DTV has those couplers on the the axle axis of the differential.

Toyota's AWD systems have evolved mechanically but also in control. Back in the 90s, the front diffs were built into the transfer case and they were what I would call a more traditional AWD system. It hurt fuel efficiency because they were basically always engaged and/or had the parasitic drag. The 00s brought more of a slip and pray type of AWD system. Great for fuel efficiency, not so great for AWD capability. Very reactive unless you set the center diff lock button. These still had open front and rear diffs. Into the 10s and 20s, Toyota used the same mechanical system but changed the programming to automatically engage the 4WD when pulling away from a stop rather than relying on the diff lock button or waiting for a front wheel to slip. This has a relatively minor impact to fuel efficiency but uses the AWD capability more proactively. The DTV system is an evolution of the latest system to give more control left and right with the rear wheels. The front differentials have a spring preload on the side gears that acts as a soft LSD.

I was a big Subaru nut back in the day. The old 4EAT and VC AWD systems were really solid. But the fuel efficiency was garbage and they still had the problem of typically having open front and rear differentials. Now that Subaru has moved to CVTs, their AWD systems have also evolved. They get decent fuel economy now, but they've given up some of that all the time AWD capability in doing so. That's why you've seen the X-mode feature show up over the past decade. It is essentially software setting that sets the various AWD controls to the most aggressive setting as far as gaining grip... at the expense of fuel efficiency. IMO, most of the systems have converged in offering decent grip when needed and decent fuel economy the rest of the time.

the quote was from c&d article and was close to what i remember. granted i am stuck way back in the early 2010's and before from what i researched back then so i havent really kept up on awd systems in toyota's since i only have to worry about the tacoma, 4R and now tundra 4wd systems

thanks for the refresher