MirrorLink
A standard for connecting phones to cars. With MirrorLink, the driver can use a limited set of apps on their phone via the car's dashboard touch screen and/or steering wheel buttons.
The phone displays its interface (or a special interface designed for car use) via the car's screen instead of the phone's screen. The phone is operated via controls in the car rather than on the phone.
MirrorLink also connects the phone to the car's audio system, and versions 1.1 and greater allow phone apps to access certain automotive data from the car.
The standard is actually a group of standards and certifications. It uses USB and Bluetooth to connect the phone to the car, and can also use Wi-Fi.
See: USB
It also makes use of the UPnP, VNC, and RTP technology standards. Cars, phones, and applications can all be certified for MirrorLink.
MirrorLink was intended to provide functionality similar to Apple's CarPlay and Google's Android Auto. CarPlay and Android Auto became popular while MirrorLink did not.
Last updated Jul 3, 2023 by Rich Brome
Editor in Chief Rich became fascinated with cell phones in 1999, creating mobile web sites for phones with tiny black-and-white displays and obsessing over new phone models. Realizing a need for better info about phones, he started Phone Scoop in 2001, and has been helming the site ever since. Rich has spent two decades researching and covering every detail of the phone industry, traveling the world to tour factories, interview CEOs, and get every last spec and photo Phone Scoop readers have come to expect. As an industry veteran, Rich is a respected voice on phone technology of the past, present, and future.
