Updated

Updated · Engadget · Jul 16

Wireless Android Auto Uses Bluetooth and 5GHz Wi-Fi to Connect, Stream and Handle Calls

Updated

Updated · Engadget · Jul 16

Wireless Android Auto Uses Bluetooth and 5GHz Wi-Fi to Connect, Stream and Handle Calls

1 articles · Updated · Engadget · Jul 16

Bluetooth starts wireless Android Auto by pairing the phone with the car and handling hands-free calls; turning Bluetooth off during a drive breaks the connection.
5GHz Wi-Fi Direct then carries the heavier load—maps, touch inputs, voice commands, GPS data and high-quality audio—because Bluetooth tops out at roughly 2-3 Mbps.
Older phones without 5GHz Wi-Fi support cannot run wireless Android Auto, and the setup generally requires Android 11 or newer.
USB dongles such as Carlinkit, AAWireless and Motorola MA1 can add wireless capability to wired-only cars by pairing over Bluetooth, switching to Wi-Fi, then converting the stream back to USB.
The trade-off for the cable-free setup is higher battery drain, since Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS must stay active, and dongles can add some connection delay.

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