I finally found an Android Auto adapter that's functional, pairs easily, and priced well

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The AAWireless Two costs $65 and gives you wireless Android Auto enactment erstwhile plugged in.
• A caller built-in fastener lets you rapidly swap betwixt paired devices.
• The companion app is astir excessively robust, but that's a bully occupation to have.

Since I bought my archetypal car 3 years ago, I've had the worst luck with wireless Android Auto adapters. I initially sprung for the Motorola MA1 due to the fact that of its popularity and, admittedly, Amazon's algorithmic recommendation, but it was simply excessively unreliable to usage during commutes and roadworthy trips. 

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The pairing process wasn't ever the fastest; audio playback (including navigation instructions) tended to stutter, and the dongle would often get truthful lukewarm that it felt uncomfortable stashing it wrong the halfway console. When I took the hazard connected a different, generic brand, its mentation of "wireless Android Auto" meant afloat replacing the operating strategy with its ain proprietary idiosyncratic interface. Boo.

A spot of cross-shopping led maine to the AAWireless adapter, which, similar the Motorola MA1, connects to your car via USB-A and serves arsenic a wireless receiver for Android Auto. I've been investigating it for much than fractional a twelvemonth now, and my driving acquisition has ne'er been much refreshing.

The AAWireless Two adapter costs $65, which is really cheaper than its predecessor and competing accessories. How it works is reasonably straightforward: You download and unfastened the AAWireless companion app (should you privation to marque immoderate modifications oregon update the software), plug the adapter into your car via USB-A, long-press its multifunctional fastener to initiate pairing mode, and past link to it connected your telephone screen. 

From this constituent forward, your telephone volition automatically brace with the adapter erstwhile your car is turned on.

The pairing process unsocial is superior to that of different wireless adapters, arsenic the multifunctional fastener doubles arsenic an LED indicator ring, redeeming you from second-guessing whether the adapter is connected oregon not (or if pairing mode has been activated). 

It took immoderate clip to familiarize myself with what each colour meant, but aft the archetypal fewer days of testing, I got the bent of things. Just marque definite you're staring consecutive astatine the LED ring, arsenic the coloring is little disposable erstwhile off-axis.

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The AAWireless Two tin brace and swap betwixt aggregate devices, which is perfect for those who stock a car with idiosyncratic else. Setting up the secondary instrumentality is the aforesaid arsenic the first, and swapping betwixt the 2 is arsenic elemental arsenic a azygous property of the multifunctional button. 

I'm a instrumentality of the app's quality to acceptable a precedence database for which instrumentality to link with. I'm usually the 1 driving betwixt my woman and me, truthful we similar the adapter to brace with my phone. Once it does, the Android Auto acquisition often works fluidly, reacting to my fastener presses without overmuch lag (if any), and playing Spotify without skipping a beat.

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

My qualms with the AAWireless Two adapter person much to bash with the merchandise class arsenic a whole. For example, switching to a wireless adapter means my telephone is nary longer plugged successful and charging gradually arsenic I thrust astir town.

For roadworthy trips oregon commutes into the metropolis (which tin instrumentality upwards of an hour), that trickle complaint is thing I've taken for granted. Of course, I tin inactive foodstuff up my telephone if there's a spare USB port, outlet, oregon wireless charging dock, but I miss the convenience of utilizing a azygous cablegram to powerfulness my telephone portion moving Android Auto.

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The AAWireless Two adapter besides doesn't enactment Apple CarPlay. It's branded arsenic AA (Android Auto) Wireless and not CPWireless, aft all, but the institution is inactive missing retired connected a ample idiosyncratic base. Fortunately, an updated mentation of the adapter, which features a hardware redesign to enactment CarPlay, is expected to beryllium released aboriginal this year. That wouldn't assistance me, an Android user, but it makes the imaginable conversion to an iPhone little burdensome.

ZDNET's buying advice

That's each to say: the AAWireless Two is the champion wireless Android Auto adapter I've tested to date, and I've utilized rather a few. It's priced well, functions arsenic good arsenic it looks, and, astir importantly, holds a reliable transportation passim my rides. 

Should you person immoderate issues with the adapter, I urge checking the companion app archetypal for immoderate applicable diagnostic and troubleshooting tools. There are options for toggling pass-through mode (for information transferring), fixing audio stutters, disabling TTS descend for routing navigation audio, and overmuch more. 

This nonfiction was primitively published connected November 15, 2024, and was updated connected June 24, 2025.