I have a 2012 Honda Civic EX with built-in bluetooth audio support. It has the controls in the steering wheel, etc. Generally it works OK, but I have taken several extended trips in a 2014 Chevy Impala and found that the bluetooth audio system there is much better for the following reasons:
- Much lower latency between the time the phone (Motorola Droid Razr Maxx HD) starts streaming the audio, and the time it comes out the speakers
- Crisper, clearer audio -- although this may also be due to the speaker system
- Zero dropouts -- whereas, in my Civic, audio clicks and pops and drops out from time to time
These factors have led me to conclude that the bluetooth audio system (the digital / electronics side) in my 2012 Civic just isn't very good, and could be improved upon with the latest protocol support, etc.
I have two questions:
What is the part even called that houses the bluetooth audio system? I don't want to dabble in low-level hacking of components, so if I did any upgrade at all, I'd have to know what part to ask for, so I could buy it and install it (or pay to have it installed). If I wanted to have the system upgraded, either using an OEM part if possible or an aftermarket part, what is the smallest discrete "part unit" called that would house the bluetooth audio system?
Is it even possible to upgrade it? I would think of possibly getting a newer model year's version, or an aftermarket system that is physically and electrically compatible so that I could continue using the steering wheel controls, etc. If there's no significant aftermarket industry around this kind of thing, I wouldn't want to go poking around with the electronics directly, soldering chips, etc.