3 straightforward Android Auto fixes you in all probability did not know you possibly can do

Android Auto is a helpful utility that is constructed into nearly each modern Android smartphone. Conceptually just like the iPhone’s CarPlay performance, Android Auto permits you to beam the contents of your Android cellphone straight onto your car’s infotainment show — assuming your automobile or truck helps the power to take action, in fact.

Increasingly automobiles are delivery with Android Auto assist, which ought to hopefully improve adoption of the platform and permit for higher function parity with Apple CarPlay, the latter of which is broadly out there throughout many newer-generation automobiles available on the market. There’s simple utility to casting music playback controls, navigation interfaces, and extra from a smartphone onto a automobile dashboard.

In my expertise, when Android Auto works, it really works nicely. Sadly, nevertheless, proverbial bumps within the highway can typically come up. Listed below are three commonly-encountered Android Auto issues, in addition to some corresponding suggestions and tips to contemplate when troubleshooting mentioned points.

Spotty wi-fi connectivity

Bluetooth connection points could be a actual ache

Should you’re making use of a wi-fi Android Auto setup, then a mix of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi is quietly working under-the-hood to determine and to take care of phone-to-vehicle communication. All the pieces from audio streaming to sending and receiving calls requires a secure connection to operate correctly.

For probably the most half, wi-fi Android Auto setups are pretty dependable, as a result of your cellphone will all the time be in proximity to your car whilst you’re out on the highway. Typically, nevertheless, a uneven connection can happen, leading to stutters, lags, media playback reducing out with out discover, and dropped cellphone calls.

For sure, a spotty wi-fi connection is lower than ideally suited whenever you’re busy specializing in the highway, and it could actually show particularly problematic when actively counting on a navigation app like Google Maps or Waze to succeed in your vacation spot. Listed below are some suggestions and tips that may assist enhance the reliability of your wi-fi Android Auto connection:

• Guarantee your car is Android Auto suitable. A full record of automobile fashions that assist the function may be discovered by visiting this online Android resource.
• Be sure that your Android cellphone’s Bluetooth and Wi-Fi radios are each switched on.
• In your Android cellphone, uninstall after which reinstall the Android Auto software from the Google Play Retailer. Alternatively, clear the app’s storage information and cache information by navigating to Settings > Apps > See all apps > Android Auto > Storage & Cache > Clear storage + Clear Cache.
• Take away your car from Android Auto after which re-establish a recent connection. This may be completed out of your Android cellphone by navigating to Settings > Related Units > Connection preferences > Android Auto > Beforehand related automobiles > [your car] > Overlook. As soon as full, restart the setup course of from the start.

An inoperable wired setup

Not all USB cables are created equal

Should you elect to arrange your Android Auto by way of a wired connection, you will nonetheless wish to think about the aforementioned wi-fi connectivity troubleshooting strategies should you encounter uneven efficiency. The explanation for this? Whereas Bluetooth lacks the bandwidth required for the total audio/visible Android Auto expertise, it is nonetheless used to facilitate cellphone calls and for different much less data-intensive options. A wired Android Auto setup does not change using Bluetooth — relatively, it swaps Wi-Fi-reliant information communications with a tethered cable resolution.

It is price noting that not all USB cables are absolutely suitable with Android Auto. Though most USB-C cords look bodily an identical to 1 one other, they will range vastly in each bandwidth throughput and in energy supply scores. On its official Android Auto Help website, Google recommends utilizing a high-quality USB cable that is below 3 toes (1 meter) in size, and to keep away from utilizing USB hubs or cable extenders. The corporate additionally suggests defaulting to the cable that got here along with your Android cellphone out of the field, as most cellphone producers ship cables that meet the requirements of the USB Implementers Forum.

Unresponsive voice dictation

Fingers-free voice instructions are helpful after they work

One of many biggest perks of working an Android Auto-compatible car is the benefit of which you’ll be able to interface along with your cellphone whereas actively (and safely) commuting to your vacation spot. By merely saying “Hey Google” or urgent the devoted microphone button in your car’s stirring wheel, you’ll be able to dictate all kinds of instructions. These embrace making a cellphone name, sending a textual content message, replying to a message, getting driving route, and launching particular musical tracks or podcasts.

Should you’re experiencing troubles along with your Android Auto’s hands-free function (false positives, incorrect dictation outcomes, incapacity to acknowledge your voice, and so forth.), there are some things to search for that could be the foundation reason for the issue. Listed below are some troubleshooting concerns:

• Guarantee your car is Android Auto suitable. A full record of automobile fashions that assist the function may be discovered by visiting this online Android resource.
• Guarantee your Android cellphone’s Bluetooth antenna is turned on and that an energetic connection has been established along with your car.
• Verify your Android cellphone’s microphone permissions. This may be completed by navigating to Settings > Apps > See all Apps > Android Auto > Permissions > Microphone > Microphone entry for this app after which deciding on Permit solely whereas utilizing the app from the record of obtainable choices.
• Find your car’s built-in microphone and be sure that the port is not blocked off or coated by something.