Android Auto Wired: The Cable Conundrum
Choosing the right cable for your Android Auto wired experience can be a real challenge. It may seem trivial, but a faulty cable can turn every moment behind the wheel into a frustrating ordeal. Despite Google’s detailed guidance on cable selection, users continue to struggle with wired connections, even when using recommended cords.
Recently, a new problem has emerged in the Android Auto world, specifically affecting wired connections. It appears that a recent app update is to blame for these issues. Google has launched an investigation into the matter, but the exact cause of the glitch remains unknown.
Numerous users have taken to Google’s forums to report the strange behavior they’ve encountered. According to their accounts, Android Auto wired stopped working after an update in late January. The problematic version seems to be Android Auto 11.1, and subsequent releases have failed to resolve the issues. Even the latest beta release, Android Auto 11.3, still exhibits the same problem.
Interestingly, not all devices running Android Auto wired are affected by this bug. As a test, I personally disabled the wireless experience and switched to a wired connection on Android Auto 11.3 using my Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. Surprisingly, the app worked flawlessly with no connection problems.
Users who have experienced the broken wired connection have primarily reported issues with their Samsung Galaxy foldable or Google Pixel phones. While the smartphones are detected and charging, Android Auto fails to load. Changing USB connection options or trying different cables have proven unsuccessful in restoring functionality. Strangely enough, the same cable can successfully run Android Auto on other Android devices, indicating that the problem is specific to certain devices. Unfortunately, I was unable to find a clear pattern to determine who is affected by this issue.
The only common factor among those impacted is a recent Android Auto update. However, it remains unclear why only certain devices are affected. Google’s investigation is ongoing, and hopefully, a solution will be found soon. In the meantime, if you’re experiencing issues with your Android Auto wired connection, know that you’re not alone.
Switching to wireless is the most convenient workaround. If your car doesn’t support a wireless connection to run Android Auto, you can always switch to a no-cord experience with a wireless adapter. Motorola’s MA1 and AAWireless are the most popular devices, allowing users to turn a wired connection into wireless in seconds. They connect to the vehicle using the Android Auto USB port and to the smartphone via Bluetooth.
How to choose the right cable for Android Auto wired
Google says the USB cable you want to use for Android Auto should be as short as possible. The company claims the right cord is under 6-feet long. If you use an extension, drop it, as a direct cable ensures faster data transfer between the vehicle and the smartphone.
The search giant has simple advice for people struggling with a problem breaking down Android Auto into a compatible car. If the app has stopped working, “try replacing your USB cable – that fixes the issue in most cases.”
Unfortunately, many Android Auto users learned the hard way that not even sticking with a genuine high-speed cable to run the app guarantees a flawless experience. For example, some of the people encountering this connection error claim they’ve been using an original Samsung cable that came in the phone box. Samsung makes some of the best cords on the market, supporting high-speed connections, so they typically allow a flawless Android Auto experience. I also use a Samsung cable to run Android Auto in my car and haven’t encountered any issues.
Google has already started an investigation to determine what happens with Android Auto wired and why the most recent versions break down the connection in some cars. However, it’s too early to tell when a patch could land, as the process could take up to several months to be completed. The search giant didn’t offer any recommendations, but if you’re certain a recent Android Auto update breaks the connection, you can try downgrading to a previous version.
Meanwhile, the wireless version re-becomes the more stable and reliable version, eliminating the cable factor from the potential culprits of broken connections.
If you’re not sure whether Android Auto 11.3 fixes the problem, you can try sideloading the APK on your device. However, given the update is still in the beta stage, you shouldn’t use it as your daily driver.
