Android Auto has been around a while now, and is the technology that lets you access apps, music, navigation and more on your car’s infotainment system while you operate your vehicle. Need maps or navigation help? It’s got you. Want an easy way to control your music? It can. Making phone calls or receiving them? Who’d have thought.
For the longest time, though, Android Auto required a wired connection. This wasn’t all that bad a thing, because it meant that you could charge your phone at the same time, which is generally what you’d want anyway.
Somewhat more recently, the idea of wireless Android Auto came about, allowing you to experience the exact same Android Auto experience but without needing your phone plugged in via a USB cable.
On the plus side, it means your phone can stay in your pocket while you drive, providing less distraction and the same Android Auto experience. That’s good. On the downside, though, it means that you need to plug your phone in anyway if you want to charge it, or possibly sit it in a wireless charging area of your car if you’ve got one.
If you can meet these requirements, then wireless Android Auto is pretty handy, but if your car doesn’t support it, what can you do?
That’s where AAWireless’ TWO enters the chat.
What’s it do?
The AAWireless TWO is a small device about the size of a small box of matches, and it plugs into your vehicle’s USB port where you would normally plug your phone in for wired Android Auto. Once it powers up – it only takes a brief moment – it’s ready to pair with your Android and effectively gives you wireless Android Auto in your wired-only Android Auto car!
Setting up is easy – plug the AAWireless TWO in, look for it in your Bluetooth device list, click on it, follow the prompts to enable Android Auto, and you’re done. Set up takes no more than a minute, and then you’re connected ready to go.
Simply put, you get the exact same Android Auto experience you’re used to, but without having to plug your phone in or even take it out of your pocket.
It’s rock solid; I’ve not experienced any dropouts, any instability, or issues at all. It’s as if it was wired, except it isn’t.
Any special features?
Yes and no. There’s no functional difference between Android Auto via wireless and via cable; it works the same way, and that’s the point.
However, there are a couple of things which set the AAWireless TWO adaptor apart from other options in this space:
- Bootup time – some adaptors take minutes to start, whereas the TWO is ready and available within a couple of seconds. It’s quick, which makes the experience painless, and thus more likely to actually be used.
- You can pair multiple phones and switch between them easily – use your phone when you’re driving alone, or if your partner/friend/kids have a phone and they want to have their songs on in the car, they could pair their phone and use that instead!
- It’s easily updatable – there’s a companion app which allows you to troubleshoot the device if something’s not right, and you can easily update the firmware to keep it current.
Any downsides?
Not really, except that it requires a bit of a change of habits. As noted above, if your car doesn’t already support Android Auto wireless, there’s a good chance the rest of the car isn’t really designed for it either.
What do I mean by this? Most cars that I’ve seen with wireless Android Auto also have somewhere you can put your phone to charge it while driving, typically it’s a wireless charging pad somewhere in the centre console. If you’re using Android Auto, it can chew through the juice on your phone a bit faster than normal, and if you’re driving, it’s a great opportunity to charge your phone. A wireless charging option is perfect for this.
However, there’s a good chance your car doesn’t have this if it’s a bit older, so you’re left with three options – either charging your phone on a cable anyway, negating any real benefit of Android Auto, letting your phone run flat, or installing a wireless charging option.
In my case, I added a simple Qi charging mount which clips onto the driver’s side vent. This charges my phone easily, is quick to use and retrieve my phone from when leaving the car, and puts it in a place where – if I need to and can lawfully touch the phone – it’s easily in reach.
For short drives, though, like a school run or a quick commute to work, its not likely to be a big issue.
Conclusion
I’ve tried a couple of wireless Android Auto adaptors in the last couple of years, as I’m quite frustrated that my otherwise fairly modern car didn’t include this feature, and I’m pleased to say the AAWireless TWO is easily the best of them.
It’s cheap, it’s small, it’s quick and easy to use and seamless. I’m still using it two weeks into the review, and that’s saying something. Other adaptors have lasted a day or two at most, because they’re too frustrating to continue using with either slow boot times or unstable connections.
AAWireless TWO is available on Amazon Australia for $114.99 and if you have Amazon Prime, it’s typically available for free same-day or next-day delivery.
