If you have a relatively modern car or are considering buying one, you will find a display in the dashboard and it is relatively common for it to integrate Android Auto. If you are not very clear about what it is and what it has to do with your phone, whether you can use it or whether it is better or worse than other platforms such as Android Automotive or Apple Carplay, we have compiled the article The most important thing about Android Auto So whether you are starting from scratch or already using it, its usefulness and convenience are obvious to you.
What is Android Auto and how does it work?
Android Auto is one of Google’s offerings Bring the Android experience to vehicles. More specifically, it’s a Google app that brings information and some apps from your Android phone to the vehicle’s infotainment system.
Based on all these definitions, two important points emerge: First, your phone must be connected to the console. Android Auto is not a standalone system The second is applications because not all of them are compatible.
But not just any mobile phone can do this. Although we will list the compatible ones and their requirements below, we have already told you. To use Android Auto, it is important that your phone is Android.
In short, the basic requirements are that your car’s infotainment system has Android Auto, an Android phone, there is a connection between the two, and the mobile phone also has a data speed, because you will need internet.
How to connect your mobile phone to Android Auto?
Two ways: wired and wireless. So, while all cars with Android Auto will support wired connection, only some will also be compatible with wireless mode.
While for someone wired connection Any compatible mobile phone and most USB cables will do. However, Google lists some recommendations that should be taken into consideration, such as having the USB symbol, keeping the cable short, and avoiding hubs, extenders and similar accessories.
Required for wireless connection The vehicle has Android Auto compatible with this modebecause updates may require an external device in the form of hardware or just an adapter.
Both wired and wireless connections have advantages and disadvantages. There is no one way that is better than the other, but it will depend on our needs.
Which cars and mobile phones are compatible with Android Auto?
Compatibility is a key factor in explaining the popularity of Android Auto in terms of vehicles and the people who could potentially use it. On the Android website, Google explains that there are more than 500 compatible models (although this is not new data by any means, it has been around for years). List of compatible vehicles and stereo equipment.
If you look at that section of the Android website you will find a long list of brands, but I have said before that this is not updated and ultimately refers to the manufacturer’s website: Audi, BMW, BYD, Dacia, Fiat, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Jeep, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Opel, Peugeot, Renault, SEAT, Toyota, Volkswagen, Volvo… as you see, Main brands have compatible models since 2016. However, today there are also manufacturers who are starting to move away from more personalized systems. Therefore, the best advice to clear your doubts about your car’s compatibility with Android Auto is to take a look at the technical sheet of the model in question.
Similar Which Android phones are compatible: Minimum Android version required is Android Oreo or above; This means that in practice more than 90% of devices have this operating system. You can see which Android version you have from the settings. But it also needs to have Google services and not Android Go, the operating system of some cheap entry-level handsets.
What if I want to use Android Auto wirelessly? Here the requirements increase, because your mobile phone must have Android 11 or later (unless it is a Google Pixel or Samsung mobile), support 5 GHz Wi-Fi connection and, as we said above, your car or stereo must support it. (usually for vehicles 2020 and later).
Best apps available for Android Auto
In general, the categories where you will find applications compatible with Android Auto are: navigation, messaging and multimedia. Come on, for what you might need most while driving, there are also utilities like weather and even productivity apps like Zoom and video calls. But in essence, you can reach your destination by choosing the best route, detecting speed cameras, receiving WhatsApp or Telegram messages, listening to your favorite music or podcasts…
Procedure Install an app with Android Auto This is pretty much the same thing you would follow to have any app on your mobile phone: Go to the Google app store, search for the app that interests you, and tap install. Once you complete the process and connect the phone to the car, you will see how it appears in the Android Auto menu, which means it is ready to use. This is the process for compatible apps you’ll find on the Google Play Store, but in this case you can also install compatible apps that aren’t available on the Google store using alternatives like Android Auto Apps Downloader.
Below are some of them Best apps compatible with Android Auto:
- Waze.
- TomTom AmiGO.
- Here we go.
- Magic World
- Spotify.
- AppleMusic.
- Amazon Music.
- Loud.
- Simple Radio.
- Audiobooks.
- What’s up.
- Telegram.
- Signal.
- Skype.
Cover | Eva Rodríguez de Luis
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