Published 2026-09-15 · DIYCarPlay Engineering Team

How to Identify Your Head Unit (CIC, NBT, EVO, NTG, MMI, PCM) Before Ordering

Wrong-platform orders are the number-one cause of returns in the CarPlay retrofit business. This guide gives your sales team a 30-second identification workflow.

The Three-Question Workflow

• 1. What does the main menu look like? Tile-style (BMW EVO, MBUX, MIB3) vs list-style (CIC, NBT, NTG, MMI) narrows the generation instantly.
• 2. Does the control knob have touch? Touch-capable knob = NBT or later (BMW), NTG4.5+ (Mercedes), MMI touch (Audi).
• 3. What is the exact model year? Transition years (2012 BMW F30, 2013 Mercedes W204 facelift, 2017 Audi C7.5) can carry either platform.

Brand Cheat Sheet

BMW: CIC = 2008–2014, boxy menu. NBT = 2012–2016, wide list menu. EVO = 2015+, tiles. Mercedes: NTG4.0 = small screen 2007–2013. NTG4.5/5.0 = widescreen 2013–2019. HU6 = MBUX 2019+. Audi: MMI 2G/3G = pop-up screen. MIB = 2017+ tile interface. Porsche: CDR = base radio. PCM 3.1 = nav, older UI. PCM 4.0/5.0 = wide touchscreen 2017+.

When in Doubt: Two Photos

Ask the customer for (1) a photo of the powered-on main menu and (2) a photo of the control knob. Send both to us via WhatsApp — our engineers confirm the exact module within 12 hours, free. Use our online Fitment Checker for instant preliminary matching.

Why This Matters for Distributors

Every product page on this site includes a per-generation fitment table. Link your customers to the relevant page — for example BMW NBT or Mercedes NTG4.5 — so they self-verify before ordering. Fewer returns, higher review scores.