Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/Google
If you've been struggling with Android Auto wireless in your car due to a mysterious connection problem, I have good news.
The most recent update released by Google for its Pixel lineup of phones might finally resolve the wireless errors, allowing Android Auto to detect the head unit and launch correctly.
Android Auto connection problems have plagued Pixel phones for quite some time, but wireless glitches have become more common in Toyota cars. 2023 RAV4 owners complained on Google's forums that Bluetooth was working correctly but launching Android Auto failed unless the user rebooted the phone.
Android Auto worked correctly on a cold start, but if the user disconnected the device from the head unit (when shutting down the engine), the application again failed to load.
The same behavior repeated every time Android Auto tried to launch after a previous instance was terminated.
Google never acknowledged the glitch, but I'm seeing reports from our readers that the August update for Pixel phones brings Android Auto wireless back to a working state. Someone on Google's forums also says that updating their Pixel phone to the latest version (by installing the August 2023 patch) restores the expected Android Auto behavior, with the wireless connection working correctly.
In the meantime, Google is quietly working on Android Auto refinements that could soon become available for everybody.
For example, the company has started testing a search option in audio apps running on Android Auto, including Spotify and YouTube Music. With this tool, users will be able to manually type a song's name, the artist, or the album to perform a search when the vehicle is parked. Once the car starts moving, Android Auto locks the typing support, accepting only voice-powered searches in audio apps.
The feature was spotted in Android Auto 10.2 beta, but its rollout isn't linked with a specific app version. Google seems to control the availability with a server-side switch, but the rollout is currently in the early phases, with more users to receive it in the coming weeks. The company did not publicly announce the new feature, but more information should make its way to the web once it lands in the hands of more users.
The stable channel's most recent Android Auto version is 10.1, while the latest beta build is version 10.2. The beta build allows users to test the newest improvements before the production rollout begins, but it's not recommended for daily usage due to the increased likelihood of bugs. Installing the latest Android Auto version doesn't resolve the wireless bug on Pixel phones, as the problem resides in the operating system. Once you install the latest patches released by Google, the error should be gone, with Android Auto wireless returning to a correct working state.
Android Auto connection problems have plagued Pixel phones for quite some time, but wireless glitches have become more common in Toyota cars. 2023 RAV4 owners complained on Google's forums that Bluetooth was working correctly but launching Android Auto failed unless the user rebooted the phone.
Android Auto worked correctly on a cold start, but if the user disconnected the device from the head unit (when shutting down the engine), the application again failed to load.
The same behavior repeated every time Android Auto tried to launch after a previous instance was terminated.
Google never acknowledged the glitch, but I'm seeing reports from our readers that the August update for Pixel phones brings Android Auto wireless back to a working state. Someone on Google's forums also says that updating their Pixel phone to the latest version (by installing the August 2023 patch) restores the expected Android Auto behavior, with the wireless connection working correctly.
In the meantime, Google is quietly working on Android Auto refinements that could soon become available for everybody.
For example, the company has started testing a search option in audio apps running on Android Auto, including Spotify and YouTube Music. With this tool, users will be able to manually type a song's name, the artist, or the album to perform a search when the vehicle is parked. Once the car starts moving, Android Auto locks the typing support, accepting only voice-powered searches in audio apps.
The feature was spotted in Android Auto 10.2 beta, but its rollout isn't linked with a specific app version. Google seems to control the availability with a server-side switch, but the rollout is currently in the early phases, with more users to receive it in the coming weeks. The company did not publicly announce the new feature, but more information should make its way to the web once it lands in the hands of more users.
The stable channel's most recent Android Auto version is 10.1, while the latest beta build is version 10.2. The beta build allows users to test the newest improvements before the production rollout begins, but it's not recommended for daily usage due to the increased likelihood of bugs. Installing the latest Android Auto version doesn't resolve the wireless bug on Pixel phones, as the problem resides in the operating system. Once you install the latest patches released by Google, the error should be gone, with Android Auto wireless returning to a correct working state.
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