AAWireless, how to make Android Auto Wireless | Updated

AAWireless

Android Auto technology, like its CarPlay counterpart, has revolutionized the concept of infotainment in cars by offering a valid and sophisticated alternative to the more classic on-board systems. Over the years, Android Auto has become increasingly "smart" by offering numerous functions, services and contents. Android Auto does not replace the infotainment system, it simply fits inside it and allows you to manage, almost entirely, the smartphone "remotely" using the commands available on the dashboard and on the steering wheel, without taking your eyes off the road.

As we have highlighted in this in-depth analysis , Android Auto is available in two versions: wired and wireless . The wired version is the most common and often available as a standard accessory on board the most recent cars, while the wireless variant is rarer to find. Many cars are therefore not compatible with Android Auto Wireless as standard; however, with some simple aftermarket accessories it is possible to transform the system into the more practical wireless version. To do this, you need to purchase solutions such as AAWireless, a simple dongle that will "switch" the wired signal to wireless.





AAWireless is a small box with a side of about 5 centimeters and a thickness of 2 centimeters which must be connected to your car via USB port in order to communicate; the ultra-compact dimensions make it easy to hide it, for example, inside the armrest or in some object holder. Personally, on my Mazda MX-5, I managed to glue it (with a small piece of double-sided tape) inside a side panel of the central tunnel, making it essentially invisible to the eye.

There are no keys, but just a small status LED and a hole dedicated to system reset. The configuration is really simple, you just need to install the app and configure the device. Once this is done, for future launches it will not be necessary to open any app; the system will automatically start Android Auto.





As mentioned, the purpose of AAWireless is to transform the Android Auto connection between the smartphone and the infotainment system from USB to wireless. To accomplish this simple task, AAWireless is equipped with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity; Bluetooth connectivity is only required in the first stage to transmit Wi-Fi credentials. In any case, the developer specifies that there may be compatibility problems on some specific models and recommends enabling USB Mode or activating Passthrough through the application. The car models compatible with AAWireless are currently more than 500 and the list is constantly updated. We specify that even if Wi-Fi is enabled on the device, data connectivity will not be lost.

How does it behave in the field? Well, representing a simple and effective solution. After more than a year of use we can confirm that this device works exactly like the wired version, therefore without jamming or other problems. With AAWireless you no longer have to take your smartphone out of your pocket and connect it via cable, you just need to enter the car to benefit from all the functions of Android Auto.





Naturally, for long journeys, thanks to a higher consumption of the battery, we recommend monitoring the battery life; in any case, the greatest benefits are achieved if your car is equipped with a wireless charging system (Qi). In our tests with the Samsung Galaxy S21 we found a fairly linear battery consumption in the order of 15% every hour of use.

In conclusion, we believe that AAWireless is an excellent product and can actually be very convenient for those is looking for a way to turn wired Android Auto into the wireless variant. AAWireless has been on sale for a few months on the new official shop with shipments also to Italy. The price is 89.99 euros with free shipping. We point out that in America, for a few weeks, it has also been available on Amazon; we therefore do not exclude that it may also arrive on Amazon Italy in the future.

Device update

Although AAWireless has been around for some time now, over two years, the manufacturer continues to release constant updates; to install the firmware, all you need to do is connect the device to the car, start the application on your smartphone and wait for the operation to complete. For the more curious, all the changelogs are available at this address; at present, the most updated version is 2.1.0 which brings with it some important fixes.

Fix Hyundai / Kia only working in passthrough mode. Fix UConnect (Dodge / Chrysler / Fiat) not starting up Android Auto and needing re-plug or deletion of the AAWireless “pairing” on the head unit. Fix Dacia / Renault MediaNav needing “Direct” USB mode. Add “GM Fix” which workarounds an issue where the head unit hangs on “Searching for phone” when starting up Android Auto. This needs the latest version of the app to be able to enable it (2.22.0).