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High-Quality USB 3.0 Cables Could Really Fix Your Android Auto Nightmare

The experience with Android Auto is far from flawless, and Kia and Hyundai car owners certainly figured this out the hard way.
Google also selling Pixel cables in its online store 1 photo
Photo: Google
And it’s because many of them came across an issue that made their phones no longer respond when Android Auto was running in their cars, and after trying all the workarounds, only one apparently did the trick: the switch to a higher-quality cable.

We’ve known for a while that the cable that’s being used to run Android Auto is a critical part of the experience with the app, and Google itself recommends users to get a high-quality cord for the whole thing.

Replying in the Google forums thread where Kia and Hyundai owners discuss the “phone is not responding” error in their cars, a member of the Android Auto team recommended everyone to just get a high-quality cable and their problems could all go away.

In addition, clearing the cache and the data in Android Auto from the Android settings screen could help too. If nothing else works, resetting the head unit is the only way to go, the tip reads.

Thanks for reaching out. Please try clearing cache and data as below. We recommend to use high quality 3.0 above USB cables. If the issue persists, try to factory reset head unit. Thanks!” the post reads.

Indeed, some say that switching to a higher-quality cable really does the trick, as Android Auto now works as expected.

But at the end of the day, what cable should you use with Android Auto? Some say that the cords that come with Samsung phones are among the best, and I can confirm I’ve never had an issue with them in my car. Others believe Anker cables are much better, while a few Kia and Hyundai owners confirmed that buying a Google Pixel cable right from Google resolved their problems for now.

As for the unlucky Kia and Hyundai drivers where a new cable doesn't make a difference, the Android Auto team is still investigating the problem, and additional info on what happens is needed. Of course, there's no ETA as to when a fix could be shipped. Worth knowing is that a head unit software update might also be avaialble for select Hyundai models, and the bug is likely to be resolved.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
Bogdan Popa profile photo

Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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