Android Auto Wireless, that is the version of Android Auto that does not require the use of a cable to connect to the car, and to date a project that is still extremely not widespread, present in a handful of cars and third-party car radios. The situation is similar for Apple’s CarPlay counterpart, but with one non-negligible difference: there are accessories, already on the market, to make Wireless a car that guarantees compatibility with wired CarPlay.
However, the same thing is not true for Android Auto which has never had a similar product on the market, of any kind. However, the story changes today with the birth of AAWireless, a new Indiegogo project created by the same person who made various software related to the world of Android Auto, such as CarNotifier, Headunit For Reloaded and AAGateway.
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The device consists of a small black box (which can be safely stored in the central glove box if the car is equipped with it) and which must be connected via cable to the car’s USB port. This box will act as a “bridge” between the smartphone, which will therefore not need any physical connection with the car, and the car itself. According to the information on the AAWireless page (name not really original) the smartphone will take about 30-40 seconds to connect to the box first via Bluetooth and then tramite Wi-Fi (we believe it is Wi-Fi Direct). From that moment Android Auto will start normally on the car display. Of course the car must still be Android Auto ready and AAWireless cannot add Android Auto compatibility to the vehicle by itself.
Other requirements? Only that Android is at least to the version 9 Pie. The developer thinks that compatibility will be almost total with cars (Android Auto) and smartphones (from Android 9.0 onwards) in circulation, but obviously we cannot take responsibility for particular combinations that could turn out to be “complicated”.
The project has just been launched on Indiegogo and you can take home an AAWireless for around € 46 (which becomes about € 59 with shipping to Italy) and delivery in December 2020 (even if with these “embryonic” projects it is easy for times to get longer). If you want to be part of this project you can do it on the official page on Indiegogo.
Thanks to Gabriele for the reporting
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