[FR-Slide]

OK, so I'm sure this is really basic and obvious to you guys, but can someone explain to me in basic terms how an Android (or similar) HU functions in a vehicle?

I'm reading all about the great things that they can do with running Waze and Torque and all the other apps, but I'm not fully clear how they get internet signal to begin with. Do you have to tether it to your phone? I get that you can use Google Maps as your nav, since the HU has connectivity to the interwebs, but I'm missing HOW it's connected.

I'm even more confused, since some HUs offer WiFi, which means that you're then piggy-backing WiFi off of your phone, which is already feeding the HU? Just seems convoluted.

I guess I'm just also concerned about potentially compromising my entire head unit system if I run over my data cap, or have bad signal, or phone is dead, etc.

Thanks for any clarification!