Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/Google
In addition to the obvious convenience benefit, Android Auto wireless comes with one major benefit. The lack of a cable eliminates one common bug cause, as Android Auto cables are known as very frequent culprits of connection problems when running the app.
Theoretically, Android Auto wireless should allow for a more straightforward, convenient, stable, and reliable connection between the mobile device and head unit. But it’s certainly not what some Google users struggle with these days.
Posts on Google's forums, which started appearing in late October, so the problem is quite new, indicate that Android Auto wireless suffers from horrible lag and stuttering audio whenever the mobile device is connected to the head unit.
The lag makes it impossible to use any app, including Google Maps and Waze, especially because setting up a destination can take minutes. What's even worse is that the apps lose location tracking and offer broken navigation, as the lag causes them to always be behind the actual user location.
The audio stuttering breaks down applications like Spotify and YouTube, so listening to music out of the question.
Oddly enough, users claim that the wired version of Android Auto works flawlessly with no connection problem whatsoever. However, some says they can't switch to the wired version as a temporary workaround, as the low-power USB port in their cars can't charge the mobile device, leading to a significant battery drop when running Android Auto.
The problem seems to be more common in the Google Pixel customer base. Theoretically, Google's phone should provide a more stable experience in the car, especially with other Google apps, but it's very clear it's not happening due to this bug.
Users claim that installing the latest Android Auto releases didn’t help, and in one case, the newest version even made the lag worse, making it impossible to use anything on the screen.
Google has only asked for additional information about the bug, but the current state of the investigation is unknown. As with everything else in the Android Auto world, you shouldn’t hold your breath for a fix, as these things could take months.
Considering that downgrading and updating Android Auto doesn’t work, your only option is to switch to a wired connection. This isn't the best option if you lose battery while running the app, but make sure you always get behind the wheel with a full charge and you should be good to know, even during longer trips. As an alternative, you can use wired Android Auto with a wireless charger – I know, it's not the best way to go in a car, but it provides the phone with an extra charge to deal with the shortcoming of a low-power USB port in the vehicle.
Posts on Google's forums, which started appearing in late October, so the problem is quite new, indicate that Android Auto wireless suffers from horrible lag and stuttering audio whenever the mobile device is connected to the head unit.
The lag makes it impossible to use any app, including Google Maps and Waze, especially because setting up a destination can take minutes. What's even worse is that the apps lose location tracking and offer broken navigation, as the lag causes them to always be behind the actual user location.
The audio stuttering breaks down applications like Spotify and YouTube, so listening to music out of the question.
Oddly enough, users claim that the wired version of Android Auto works flawlessly with no connection problem whatsoever. However, some says they can't switch to the wired version as a temporary workaround, as the low-power USB port in their cars can't charge the mobile device, leading to a significant battery drop when running Android Auto.
The problem seems to be more common in the Google Pixel customer base. Theoretically, Google's phone should provide a more stable experience in the car, especially with other Google apps, but it's very clear it's not happening due to this bug.
Users claim that installing the latest Android Auto releases didn’t help, and in one case, the newest version even made the lag worse, making it impossible to use anything on the screen.
Google has only asked for additional information about the bug, but the current state of the investigation is unknown. As with everything else in the Android Auto world, you shouldn’t hold your breath for a fix, as these things could take months.
Considering that downgrading and updating Android Auto doesn’t work, your only option is to switch to a wired connection. This isn't the best option if you lose battery while running the app, but make sure you always get behind the wheel with a full charge and you should be good to know, even during longer trips. As an alternative, you can use wired Android Auto with a wireless charger – I know, it's not the best way to go in a car, but it provides the phone with an extra charge to deal with the shortcoming of a low-power USB port in the vehicle.
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