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Android Auto: map zooming without touch-screen

🚧 THIS IS A TICKET MIGRATED FROM UPVOTY. The original ticket and comments will be available for a limited time over at:
https://abrp.upvoty.com/b/request-a-feature/android-auto-map-zooming-without-touch-screen/
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Hi, I'm using ABRP with AA on a headunit (BMW i3 Android Auto retrofit) without touch screen, so it is completely controlled using BMW i-drive rotary controller. Generally this is working great and I am very greatful that this way of input is supported by ABRP + AA.
But then there is a wish for a missing feature in that context. When driving there is no way to quickly and intuitively zoom map in or out to get a quick overview of roads ahead, e.g. when trying to decide on going different way than what routing suggests… nasty me ;)
Current controller behaviour while driving (no matter if routing or free driving) is that any rotary event of controller brings up "context buttons" and cycles through available action buttons.
My suggestion for (IMHO) improved behaviour would be to

  1. use rotary events as zoom commands. To bring up "context buttons" use push event of controller. Then when "context buttons" are displayed, rotary events would cycle those buttons like it does right now.

  2. when map display mode is "destination" or "next waypoint" while receiving controller zoom commands, temporarily change to location centered mode

3.if in manual zoom mode, either after a timeout (please not too short) or by press-event of controller, return to automatic zoom mode (and to prevoiusly used none-location-centered display mode if chosen)

IMHO, that would be such a huge HMI improvement when using ABRP + AA without a touch-enabled headunit.

Thank you for having a look at my suggestion!

BR, Tobi

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Comments1

  • Tobi

    •

    Sep 10, 2025

    I would like to bring this one up again, noone else feels the need for intuitively accessible manual map zooming while routing, especially with a non-touch-screen setup?