ATCBridge Kit

ATCBridge Kit

Setup guide

From box to dashboard in about 45 minutes. This guide is written for Pi2Carplay v0.2.0. The project’s own README is the authority. If something here disagrees with it, follow the README and tell us.

Before you start

From the kit you’ll use the Pi 5, case, microSD card, card reader, micro-HDMI cable and the USB data cables. You’ll also need:

  • A computer (Windows, macOS or Linux) to flash the card
  • A monitor or TV with HDMI, and a USB mouse (a keyboard is optional)
  • A USB-C power supply for the desk setup, 5V / 3A or more (the official Raspberry Pi 27W supply is ideal)
  • Wi-Fi, or your phone’s hotspot
  • A car with wired CarPlay. Check the compatibility list

Fit the Pi into the case with the fan connected before you begin. The case’s leaflet shows how.

1. Flash the microSD card

  1. Go to the Pi2Carplay releases page and download the latest .img.gz image. Use the official release only, not a copy from somewhere else.
  2. Install and open Raspberry Pi Imager.
  3. For the device, pick Raspberry Pi 5. For the operating system, scroll down and pick Use custom, then select the image you downloaded.
  4. Put the microSD card in the card reader and pick it as the storage. Writing erases the card.
  5. When Imager offers OS customisation, skip it. Let the write and verification finish, then eject the card.

The image is a few gigabytes. A slow download is normal. Don’t unplug the card until Imager says it’s done.

2. First boot at your desk

Android setupRaspberry Pi 5micro-HDMIUSB mouseUSB-C power, 5V / 3A or more
Monitor on the micro-HDMI port next to the USB-C power port, mouse on any USB-A port.
  1. Insert the card into the Pi. Connect the monitor (micro-HDMI), the mouse, and power last.
  2. The first boot installs apps and takes several minutes. Leave it alone until the Android home screen appears.
  3. Connect to Wi-Fi, then sign in to Google Play and the apps you want (YouTube, Netflix, Spotify, Maps…).
  4. Set up the launcher favourites the way you like them. This is much easier at a desk than in the car.
  5. Shut down from the Android power menu before unplugging.

“This device isn’t Play Protect certified”? That’s expected on custom Android builds. Pi2Carplay’s README explains how to register your Pi’s own device ID with Google. Follow those steps exactly, using the same Google account you signed in with. It can take a while to apply.

3. Connect it in the car

Car display (wired CarPlay)CarPlay USB portRaspberry Pi 5data + power, one cableUSB-A or USB-C → Pi USB-C
One cable carries both data and power. Use the Pi’s USB-C port, not the USB-A ports.
  1. Find the car’s CarPlay USB port. It’s usually marked with a phone or CarPlay icon. Other USB ports may be charge-only.
  2. Use the kit’s USB-C to USB-A or USB-C to USB-C cable to match the car’s port, and connect it to the Pi’s USB-C port.
  3. Start the car. After about a minute, the Android launcher appears on the CarPlay screen. Touch, audio and the car’s controls work through it.
  4. Place the Pi somewhere ventilated, like the centre console or glovebox, not in direct sun on the dashboard.
  5. Turn on your phone’s hotspot (or car Wi-Fi) for streaming apps.

Video quality defaults to 4 Mbps at 30 FPS. You can raise it to 8 Mbps or 60 FPS in the launcher’s home settings, up to what your car’s screen supports.

4. If the Pi keeps rebooting

The Pi 5 needs at least 5V / 3A. Some cars’ CarPlay ports supply less, which shows up as reboots, a lightning-bolt icon, or a black screen. The fix is to power the Pi from the 12V socket while keeping data on the CarPlay port. That’s what the Car Power Booster Pack does.

Car display (wired CarPlay)CarPlay USB portRaspberry Pi 5splitdata12Vpower12V socket charger

Troubleshooting

Nothing appears on the car screen
Check you used the Pi’s USB-C port and the car’s CarPlay port (not a charge-only port), and that the cable carries data. Try the other kit cable, and give it a full minute.
Black screen at the desk
Use the micro-HDMI port next to the USB-C power port, and wait: the first boot is slow.
Play Store or YouTube won’t open
Register the device ID as described in the Pi2Carplay README, then reopen the apps after a while.
Video stutters
Lower the bitrate or frame rate in home settings, and check your hotspot signal.
It doesn’t work in my car at all
Tell us your make, model, year and screen size. It helps the compatibility list, and our returns policy covers incompatible cars.

Bugs in Pi2Carplay itself belong on the project’s GitHub issues . Kit, hardware and order questions come to us.

Built on open source

The ATCBridge Kit runs Pi2Carplay, an open-source project (GPL-2.0) that brings the CarPlay bridge to a Raspberry Pi 5. We didn’t write it, and we don’t modify or resell it. We supply the hardware, guides and support, and you install the author’s official release directly from GitHub.