iPhone 15 Pro Carplay and Auto Light/Dark modes
Quote from HOOK on 25.06.2026, 05:38I've read a bit on the forum and find that I'm not the only person questioning this. My W702 has auto sensing and it's turned on. This works great with Google Maps, TomTom and Waze. Doesn't work with Scenic - which will only display the daylight map on the W702, even in darkness.
In Scenic settings I've activated Dark in General Appearance and Dark in Navigation Appearance to no avail.
The only thing I can find to make the map dark is the setting within the W702 to ALWAYS make maps dark. I suppose I could forever switch manually...but am I missing something within Scenic that will cause this shift from dark to light based on sunrise/sunset?
I've read a bit on the forum and find that I'm not the only person questioning this. My W702 has auto sensing and it's turned on. This works great with Google Maps, TomTom and Waze. Doesn't work with Scenic - which will only display the daylight map on the W702, even in darkness.
In Scenic settings I've activated Dark in General Appearance and Dark in Navigation Appearance to no avail.
The only thing I can find to make the map dark is the setting within the W702 to ALWAYS make maps dark. I suppose I could forever switch manually...but am I missing something within Scenic that will cause this shift from dark to light based on sunrise/sunset?
Quote from Guido on 25.06.2026, 08:55The settings on your iPhone have no effect when on CarPlay. Scenic should switch to dark map as well just like Google Maps, Waze, etc.
The only thing that could interfere with this is your map styles. What map style have you selected to be used when in dark mode?
In scenic on your phone, tap the 2nd button top left > my map styles > tap the style you want to use in dark mode and select “use for dark appearance”.
if that’s not it, then there might be a bug.
The settings on your iPhone have no effect when on CarPlay. Scenic should switch to dark map as well just like Google Maps, Waze, etc.
The only thing that could interfere with this is your map styles. What map style have you selected to be used when in dark mode?
In scenic on your phone, tap the 2nd button top left > my map styles > tap the style you want to use in dark mode and select “use for dark appearance”.
if that’s not it, then there might be a bug.
Quote from HOOK on 25.06.2026, 12:21Under Default Light Style, it says: Use for light appearance,
Under Default Dark Style, it says: Use for dark appearance.
There is a custom map there, it was light in nature, but it was unselected. I deleted it anyway - wasn't using it. I'll change the setting back to auto on the W702 and try again, in the dark, on the way to work tomorrow.
Thanks
Under Default Light Style, it says: Use for light appearance,
Under Default Dark Style, it says: Use for dark appearance.
There is a custom map there, it was light in nature, but it was unselected. I deleted it anyway - wasn't using it. I'll change the setting back to auto on the W702 and try again, in the dark, on the way to work tomorrow.
Thanks
Quote from HOOK on 26.06.2026, 05:02Hi, Guido.
Yes, there's definitely an issue between Scenic and my W702. Scenic map defaults are as listed above. This morning, 4:30 AM - Scenic map shining like it's noon. Waze, TomTom and Google Maps all pop up as daylight for 1/2 a second and switch to dark mode automatically.
The only solution I find is as noted above, the "always make maps dark" option on the W702. Not a deal breaker, but a minor annoyance.
Scenic is version 4.41. If it helps any, info on the Carpuride W702 is:
SDK Version: 22.0.11.0.0.0.1.2CUST Version: LT-M702D-S9-V1.22MCU Version: F030-V1.16BTTR Version: SO40-23.08.15-11Thanks.
Hi, Guido.
Yes, there's definitely an issue between Scenic and my W702. Scenic map defaults are as listed above. This morning, 4:30 AM - Scenic map shining like it's noon. Waze, TomTom and Google Maps all pop up as daylight for 1/2 a second and switch to dark mode automatically.
The only solution I find is as noted above, the "always make maps dark" option on the W702. Not a deal breaker, but a minor annoyance.
Scenic is version 4.41. If it helps any, info on the Carpuride W702 is:
Quote from HOOK on 26.06.2026, 10:56I also sent an email to the Carpuride folks to see if they have an update on their end that might help.
I also sent an email to the Carpuride folks to see if they have an update on their end that might help.
Quote from Guido on 26.06.2026, 12:03Yes. Good that you asked Carpuride. As I understand it, the W702 ambient light sensor only adjust brightness of the screen. It does NOT tell CarPlay to switch between dark and light appearance. According to Gemini this is how it works, but AI has been known to be wrong 🙂. Best to ask Carpuride.
But, for the sake of argument, let's say Gemini is correct. In that case, Scenic is actually working as expected. When connected to CarPlay, Scenic adjust to the appearance (dark or light) of the CarPlay system. With built in CarPlay systems in cars, the car tells CarPlay to go to light or dark appearance based on the vehicle lights being on, or some other kind of vehicle trigger.
The reason why Google Maps, Waze and TomTom do switch to dark maps, could be that they just ignore this CarPlay appearance, and in stead determine if you are before or after sunset/sunrise based on your location and time, and if you are in a tunnel or not (from your location they will know you are in a tunnel and switch based on that).
For Scenic, I made the decision to follow whatever CarPlay's appearance is being set to. Is that the right decision? For CarPlay systems that change CarPlay appearance based on some kind of trigger (ambient light sensor, vehicle lights, etc) I'd say yes. For CarPlay systems that don't do this (like the Carpuride probably), maybe not.
Yes. Good that you asked Carpuride. As I understand it, the W702 ambient light sensor only adjust brightness of the screen. It does NOT tell CarPlay to switch between dark and light appearance. According to Gemini this is how it works, but AI has been known to be wrong 🙂. Best to ask Carpuride.
But, for the sake of argument, let's say Gemini is correct. In that case, Scenic is actually working as expected. When connected to CarPlay, Scenic adjust to the appearance (dark or light) of the CarPlay system. With built in CarPlay systems in cars, the car tells CarPlay to go to light or dark appearance based on the vehicle lights being on, or some other kind of vehicle trigger.
The reason why Google Maps, Waze and TomTom do switch to dark maps, could be that they just ignore this CarPlay appearance, and in stead determine if you are before or after sunset/sunrise based on your location and time, and if you are in a tunnel or not (from your location they will know you are in a tunnel and switch based on that).
For Scenic, I made the decision to follow whatever CarPlay's appearance is being set to. Is that the right decision? For CarPlay systems that change CarPlay appearance based on some kind of trigger (ambient light sensor, vehicle lights, etc) I'd say yes. For CarPlay systems that don't do this (like the Carpuride probably), maybe not.
Quote from HOOK on 26.06.2026, 12:48Oh....well...with that statement, then it's working as you intended. The W704 sensor simply dims the display - doesn't determine day or night that I know of.
I know for a fact that TomTom app has a setting to change based on sunset/sunrise. And honestly, I thought that's what your setting for default light/dark was for - or the Sunset/Sunrise settings in Appearance and Colors.
Oh....well...with that statement, then it's working as you intended. The W704 sensor simply dims the display - doesn't determine day or night that I know of.
I know for a fact that TomTom app has a setting to change based on sunset/sunrise. And honestly, I thought that's what your setting for default light/dark was for - or the Sunset/Sunrise settings in Appearance and Colors.
