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Someone Has Invented a Way to Get Fast Charging While Running Android Auto

One of the shortcomings of using wired Android Auto and CarPlay is that devices must be plugged into a slow-charging port (typically 2.5-Watt), which means that their batteries are being recharged at a painfully slow speed.
This little device allows for fast charging while running Android Auto 8 photos
Photo: redditor rkoripalli
Enabling fast charging on the AA portEnabling fast charging on the AA portEnabling fast charging on the AA portEnabling fast charging on the AA portEnabling fast charging on the AA portEnabling fast charging on the AA portEnabling fast charging on the AA port
And in some cases, it gets even worse, as some phones are even losing power while running Android Auto with a ton of other apps in the background, all because the USB port doesn’t supply enough power to even match the actual consumption.

In theory, a fast-charging port would deal with this huge problem, but until now, only a few manufacturers have been interested in offering such an upgrade on their cars. Mazda, for example, fits its cars with fast charging through the standard USB ports, but of course, this only applies to 2021 models.

Fortunately, someone online has found a way to resolve the whole thing, so they created a PCB whose purpose is to allow fast charging while being connected to the standard USB port to run either Android Auto or CarPlay.

What this PCB does is to split the power and the data into two separate connectors, something that’s possibly mainly thanks to the design of USB-C Power Delivery, essentially allowing for a connection to a separate USB-C charger with upgraded charging speeds.

The data side connects to the car's USB A Port as normal. This setup does add 2 additional cables but I was able to hide them in my car's center console pretty easily and I designed and 3D printed a custom dock for my car as a bonus. I had to drill a couple of holes to pass cables through but I drilled them where they're not visible and on parts that are easily replaceable so I can easily undo this whole thing when I go to sell the car,” redditor rkoripalli, who came up with this idea, explains.

Needless to say, the whole thing can be further customized according to each car, so you can hide the cables behind the dash, 3D-print a dock for your phone, or just let them lie around, though this is something not really recommended in a car.

The inventor of this little hack, who has also created more PCBs and is now selling them for $15 each, says it should work with the majority of phones, even if they don’t support USB-C Power Delivery. In most cases, an improved charging speed should be experienced regardless of the phone model.
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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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