Very like CarPlay, Google’s Android Auto affords a technique to give your automotive an Android-inspired interface that is powered by your smartphone. You may get widgets and entry to Android apps (together with Google’s personal software program, like Google Maps) and all you want is a automotive that helps it. However simply because your automotive helps Android Auto doesn’t suggest it will likely be ready to connect with your telephone wirelessly.
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In these circumstances, the most suitable choice is to get an adapter or dongle to plug into your automotive that acts as an middleman between your smartphone and your automobile. By way of options, there is not a lot selection in what these adapters do, however there’s a ton of selection in how they give the impression of being and the way they work along with your automotive, in addition to whether or not they help CarPlay. We have collected a choice of Android Auto adapters within the checklist under, so proceed studying when you need assistance discovering one which works along with your automobile.
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AAWireless Wi-fi Android Auto Dongle
Greatest general
The AAWireless Wi-fi Android Auto Dongle is our general favorite choose due to its compact, sq. physique, and comparatively easy setup over USB-C, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. AAWireless’ complete technique is constructed round its companion app, which you utilize throughout preliminary setup and may later be used to theoretically replace the firmware of the dongle over time to take care of compatibility.
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Ottocast U2-X Professional Android Auto & CarPlay Adapter
Greatest premium adapter
$150 $179 Save $29
If your loved ones makes use of each Android and iPhone, paying a bit bit extra for the Ottocast U2-X Professional is likely to be price it. It is one other rectangle (this time with warmth sinks and a button for resetting and switching telephones) that may hook up with your automotive over USB, however this time it helps Android Auto and CarPlay so you’ll be able to select which in-car working system you utilize.
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AACPLAY Android Auto Wi-fi Adapter
Greatest funds adapter
Some of the reasonably priced choices for connecting your Android telephone to your automotive that we discovered, the AACPLAY Android Auto Wi-fi Adapter would not do something completely different from our high two picks. It might plug into your automotive over USB-C or USB-A, helps the mandatory Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections to your telephone, and features a sticky gel pad so you’ll be able to preserve it from sliding round in your automotive.
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Motorola MA1
Google-approved adapter
$78 $90 Save $12
Motorola’s MA1 Wi-fi Android Auto Automotive Adapter was the primary of those dongles to get Google’s official help. It’s formed a bit like a Google Chromecast and meets the fundamental necessities for connecting to your telephone wirelessly and automotive bodily, although solely makes use of a USB-A cable, which could restrict which vehicles it will probably hook up with.
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CarlinKit 5.0
Greatest compact adapter
The CarlinKit 5.0 Adapter is able to the identical two-in-one trick because the Ottocast, successfully letting you utilize the dongle for wi-fi CarPlay or wi-fi Android Auto, however in a barely smaller bundle with choices for USB-C and USB-A connections to your automotive.
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HEI LANG Android Auto Adapter
Greatest puck-shaped choice
HEI LANG’s Android Auto Adapter is sort of equivalent to the opposite dongles on this checklist in its puck-shaped design, capability to plug in with USB-C or USB-A, and use Bluetooth and 5 GHz Wi-Fi to wi-fi stream Android Auto content material out of your telephone to your automotive’s show. You possibly can even use your automotive’s present buttons, knobs, and touchscreens to navigate the Android Auto interface.
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Carsifi Wi-fi Android Auto Adapter
Greatest with a button for switching telephones
When you share your automotive and plan on connecting it to a number of completely different Android telephones, Carsifi’s Wi-fi Android Auto Adapter has a devoted button for switching Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections between telephones. It plugs in to supported vehicles over USB-C or A, and can work along with your automotive’s present controls.
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Teeran Android Auto Wi-fi Adapter
Ships with a separate USB-A adapter
The Teeran Android Auto Wi-fi Adapter is continuously discounted, and simply as succesful as the opposite adapters on this checklist. It might plug into your automotive over USB-C, but additionally ships with a USB-A adapter if it’s worthwhile to join it to an older port in an older automotive. Like our different picks, when you use wi-fi Android Auto with the Teeran adapter, throughout automotive controls will nonetheless work.
How do I do know if my telephone and automotive are appropriate with Android Auto?
Google has published a list of all of the automotive manufacturers and particular automotive fashions that help Android Auto. These cowl automobiles from Acura, BMW, Chevrolet, Hyundai, Volkswagen, and extra. By way of telephones that help wi-fi Android Auto, Google’s standards is a bit more sophisticated.
Your telephone has to have an lively information plan (as in, cell service) and help 5 GHz Wi-Fi for wi-fi Android Auto to be a risk in any respect. From there Google breaks down compatibility like this:
- Any Android telephone operating Android 11.0 or later helps wi-fi Android Auto.
- Google or Samsung telephones operating Android 10.0 help wi-fi Android Auto.
- A Samsung Galaxy S8, S8+, or Notice 9 operating Android 9.0 helps wi-fi Android Auto.
In case your telephone would not match a kind of descriptions it will not work with Android Auto, wi-fi or not.
What ought to I search for in a wi-fi Android Auto adapter?
The largest issues to think about when buying a wi-fi Android Auto adapter are the connector it makes use of to plug into your automotive (newer fashions are likely to favor USB-C, whereas older fashions use USB-A) and the tactic you will must reset or replace the dongle if one thing goes flawed. A few of the fashions we selected use companion apps to permit for future updates, guaranteeing your adapters stay appropriate along with your automotive and Android generally. Others embrace devoted buttons for resetting the dongles. You may as well merely unplug them and restart your automotive. Whichever technique you select, having a technique to repair points in case one thing goes flawed is essential.
