Many of the top vehicle radios available today support Bluetooth. In terms of functionality, a Bluetooth car stereo is similar to conventional car stereos in most ways. Your stereo may link to your phone, wireless earbuds or headphones, other portable electronics, and other devices thanks to Bluetooth connectivity.
Although Bluetooth car stereos offer a wide range of entertainment, convenience, and safety advantages, they are not just available on head units with the technology built-in. Even if your head unit lacks Bluetooth, you might be able to use add-on kits to access functions like hands-free dialing and even online music streaming.
Get to know all the functions and capabilities of a Bluetooth car stereo and its benefits below:
Hands-Free Calling
Bluetooth car stereos offer a much more integrated experience when it comes to communication. It allows you to place calls using a Bluetooth earpiece, a built-in microphone, and your car speakers, or on your phone’s speakerphone.
There are two profiles that Bluetooth car stereos can use to facilitate hands-free calling. One is the Headset profile (HSP) that are usually found in hands-free calling kits and provides only basic functionality. The other is a Hands-free profile (HFP) that is more fully featured.
HFP has more advanced capability while HSP is more frequently seen in aftermarket hands-free calling kits. Your mobile phone will typically only function as a Bluetooth earpiece and offer very basic communication when paired with a Bluetooth car stereo or hands-free calling device that supports HSP.
When you pair your phone with a hands-free profile-compatible device, the head unit normally mutes or lowers the volume when a call is answered. This kind of Bluetooth connection delivers a substantial level of convenience and greater safety because it prevents you from having to take your hands off the wheel to handle the stereo.
Stored Contacts
You can normally use the head unit to access the contacts that are saved on your phone when a Bluetooth vehicle radio supports the object push profile (OPP) or Phonebook Access Profile (PBAP).
OPP transmits contact information to the head unit, which can then save in the Bluetooth stereo’s memory. You can use it to retrieve the data for hands-free calling, but you have to manually send the updated contacts again.
A little more sophisticated is the phonebook access profile, which allows the head unit to get contacts from an associated cell phone at any time. This facilitates updating contact information and may also lead to a better hands-free calling experience.
Music Streaming
You can wirelessly transfer music and other audio files from your phone to your car stereo if the head units you use for it support Bluetooth audio streaming. A Bluetooth car stereo that supports the advanced audio distribution profile (A2DP) will be able to play any music, audiobooks, or other content that is stored on your phone.
You might also be able to listen to Internet radio using services like SiriusXM or stream music via apps like Spotify. Additionally, you can manage the streaming audio from the head unit if your Bluetooth vehicle radio supports the AVRCP audio/video remote control profile.
Remote App Control
Different other apps on a linked phone may be controlled remotely by other Bluetooth profiles. A Bluetooth car stereo may remotely run apps like Pandora on your phone using the serial port profile (SPP), and then A2DP and AVRCP can be used to receive and manage the streaming media.
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