The hack involves a whole lot of delicate steps, beginning with using a USB stick with a special image to boot the device into a test mode. The potential is there for installing custom applications, extra hardware (such as OBD II readers), or pretty much anything else you can do with an Android device. What this means is that owners of Pioneer AVIC units will eventually be able to flash a custom ROM onto their in-car device, allowing it to operate more like any other generic Android tablet on the market. The ultimate infotainment hack is to develop custom ROMs for these devices. What’s more, these in-dash wonders have spawned their own community, dedicated to hacking the units. Pioneer’s flagship AVIC line of in-car multimedia systems is compatible with both Android Auto and Apple Car Play, and offers all manner of multimedia features to the driver of today.
