My Tacoma is a doctrinaire prick.  Or it’s being maliciously complaint because it harbors a grudge for some reason.

On our drive to Elyria, I wanted to switch to a different audiobook.  The audiobook app on my phone responded with:

“The library function cannot be accessed while…”

I didn’t try to display the rest of that sentence because some attention should be given to driving, but it probably ended with “driving”.

The robot uprising begins when we let technology run the show.  I won’t be lulled into compliance by promises of convenience or paternalistic concern for my safety.

I stopped paying attention to the road, so I could turn off Bluetooth on my phone.  That did not break the link between my phone and my truck. 

The next step was to dig around in the setup screen on the Tacoma.  Android Auto was still activated.  When that was deactivated, I could choose a different audiobook, re-engage Android Auto, and get back to paying attention to the road.

A normal person may think, “Uncle, shouldn’t you always be attentive to your driving?”

I don’t know.  There are a variety of opinions on that question.

My truck likes to jiggle the steering wheel if I change lanes without using the turn signal, and delights in stating the obvious.  

Here’s a cartoon car on the dashboard to show that there is a vehicle in front of you.

Thanks dipshit, I can see the tanker truck. 

My Tacoma wants to drive, and it wants me to appreciate it’s proficiency.

In technical meetings for Android Auto, somebody figured a comm link needed to be established that could not be disabled on the phone.  It’s not WiFi and it’s not Bluetooth.  It’s some other protocol that the vehicle controls.

Somehow, Android Auto got it’s shit-hooks into the Smart AudioBook app.  There is probably a certification process to allow an app to integrate with the Tacoma dashboard.  There are relevant apps on my phone that are not accessible through the Tacoma display.  The decision was made that the user could listen to an audiobook, but not access the library.

I don’t like my phone either, so I primarily use it to talk to people, take photos and listen to audiobooks. 

People who are more fond of their phone would find that Android Auto restricts other apps.  I haven’t tried, but texting, Youtube, and the internet are probably blocked while driving.

So that your time is not completely wasted reading this post, here is a picture of Sparky wishing I’d stop yelling at clouds so he can get some sleep.