If you have Android Auto in your car, chances are both your phone and your car support wireless mode (if not, there are always alternatives to use it wirelessly). And here appears a question of tastes but also of needs: When is wired better than wireless and vice versa? If you’re not sure when one connection or another is right for you, in this article we’ll help you make the best decision to use your Android Auto.
Cable with Android Auto
The reliability of always. It’s not much of a mystery: one end of the cable connected to your car’s dashboard, the other to your phone’s port, and a few seconds later to throw away. This is my preferred connection mode for several reasons:
- Your phone charges when dockedso that in addition to projecting Android Auto in your car, its battery not only does not run out but also feeds.
- fewer errors. If you simplify the path between A and B, errors are less likely to occur, in this case derived from wireless connectivity (Bluetooth and sometimes also Wifi), eg interference, connection failures, range.
- Is more reliable and faster than wireless. With a cable connection you avoid losing the connection (obviously the cable or one of the ports can always be broken, but your phone’s Bluetooth module can also be damaged and it’s not something that happens often ). You also get rid of the inherent lag of data transfer over the air, no matter how small, that can slow down Android Auto.
Wireless Auto Android
Have access to music, calls, messages, GPS navigation on your car screen and without cables is the cleanest option.
Depending on the brand, the synchronization varies, but in essence it is a matter of entering the Android Auto application of your mobile and in “Settings” > “System”, activate the “Android Auto Wireless“.
On the other hand, in the car console, you will have to activate Bluetooth or WiFi (internet sharing) from the mobile to the car, go to the Android Auto menu and authorize the connection.
- It’s safer. Having a cable dangling around the handbrake and shifter area isn’t the best idea, as it can interfere with driving or make certain movements slower, or even distract from what’s happening on the road if we run into the wire. Even if it’s a matter of a few seconds, at 100 km/h it’s more than 50 meters.
- It’s less annoying. When you get in the car and turn it on, the console and the phone are synchronized to make Android Auto ready to go, it’s more convenient and agile. Also, if you are a lover of Marie Kondo’s minimalist philosophy, you will appreciate an unobstructed driving space.
- You have more range. Although the usual thing is that the phone connected to the console is that of the person driving, it may be that this usual driver, for whatever reason, becomes a passenger in the back. No problem: Android Auto will continue to be operational on the console and this phone can still be used from relatively far away or even when the phone leaves the car without affecting its operation, in situations such as in a service area while consulting cards on the console. while the phone is abroad on a call.
Which is better?
Although ultimately it’s up to you what appeals to you or works best for you, here are some suggestions where wireless or wired mode provides better performance:
- If the journey is long, choose wired mode. This is how you make sure the battery doesn’t dry out from using Android Auto. Also, you will likely pass through low coverage areas, tunnels and other geographical accidents which, added to the connectivity, can mean that the connection is lost more times.
- If you’re going on a short trip, wireless mode is a convenient and smart option.since on the one hand it will not be long enough to devour the battery and on the other hand you will have your driving space without cables, which is more practical in any situation.
- If you’re in town, better wireless. In this scenario, it’s usual for it to be a relatively short journey, so the previous point applies, but also in urban environments you often have to change gears (or position, if that’s automatic) at traffic lights, traffic jams, parking lots, etc…
One way to have the best of both worlds is with a simple but practical trick: find a place to keep your mobile nearby where it doesn’t bother you and use a short cable so it doesn’t get in the way.
