Starting with Android 11 later this year, all the Android smartphones will be able to connect wirelessly to compatible cars with Android Auto. About a couple of years ago, Google made it possible to connect with Android Auto wirelessly instead of using a USB cable. However, this was only for Google’s Pixel phones and Samsung’s high-end Galaxy S-series and Galaxy Note-series smartphones.
According to an updated support page for Android Auto, all the Android 11 smartphones with the 5GHz Wi-Fi connectivity can be connected wirelessly to Android Auto. Google has mentioned that ‘any smartphone with Android 11.0 and 5GHz Wi-Fi’ will be able to use the feature now. Given the latest change incorporated into AOSP, all Android devices that run on Android 11 or higher will be able to connect wirelessly to Android Auto systems.
To access all options, one needs to have a smartphone with 5GHz connectivity, which is still quite rare, especially in low-end Android phones. Despite all this, many Android devices should also be able to make use of this new feature. Sadly, Android Go devices, especially the entry-level smartphones with basic hardware, might not be able to take advantage of the update.
Countries like Japan and Russia will miss out on the latest update, as they do not permit wireless connectivity options for in-car entertainment systems. And, in the EU, devices need to comply with certain additional regulations to use 5GHz Wi-Fi in cars.
