Which are the Android Auto requirements and how to download it is one of the most asked questions ever since the latest Android Auto update.
Android Auto has been gaining recognition and becoming extremely popular among drivers for the many useful features it offers, to make their driving experience smoother and safer. Let’s find out more!
Table of Contents
- The purpose of Android Auto
- Android Auto for cars
- Android Auto wireless
- Android Auto for Phone Screens
- Wrap Up
The purpose of Android Auto
Seeing the rise in the number of car accidents caused by smartphones, software developers set out to find ways to minimize the risk associated with their use while driving. With that in mind, Android Auto was created to make driving a safer experience.
Android Auto app decreases the risk of getting distracted while driving by mirroring the driver’s smartphone screen into the car’s infotainment systems display. With Android Auto, you can control your phone via the steering wheel and voice commands.
There are three versions of Android Auto available: Android Auto for cars, Android Auto wireless, and Android Auto for phones.
Android Auto for cars
The Android Auto app for cars mirrors your phone screen into your infotainment system’s display with slight modifications to make it easier for you to glance at it and easily read what’s in there while driving with minimal distractions.
There is no doubt that it is much easier and safer to read the information when shown on the car’s infotainment screen which is a lot larger than a phone screen and it’s in the driver’s field of view than on a smartphone itself.
Also, Android Auto has voice recognition, allowing you to use voice controls to give instructions, eliminating the need to take your hands off the steering wheel and your eyes off the road. You can also use the control buttons on your steering wheel for improved convenience.
Requirements to use Android Auto for cars
To use Android Auto in your car, you need a smartphone that runs on Android OS 5.0 Lollipop or newer. If your device runs on an older Android version you will not be able to use Android Auto until you update it or get a new device.
You also need to ensure that your mobile phone has an active data pack, as most apps that are compatible with Android Auto require internet access to run properly.
Also, you have to check if your car model is compatible with Android Auto, especially if it has more than a couple of years old. Most later vehicles now come with Android Auto compatibility. You can contact your car manufacturer to confirm if it supports Android Auto or not.
You can also substitute your factory stereo for an aftermarket Android Auto unit and experience big improvements.
To connect a phone to your car’s Android Auto, you will also require a high-quality USB cable.
How to download Android Auto
Once you have checked your phone and vehicle for compatibility, now you just need to download the Android Auto apk from the Google Play Store and proceed to set up.
Take note that if your phone runs on Android 10, the Android Auto app has been integrated with the OS and does not need to be downloaded separately.
Bear in mind Android Auto is not yet available to download on the Play Store in some countries for legal reasons. If that’s your case and you can’t find it there, you may instead download the APK through an external service. You can find it here.
Android Auto wireless
While a majority of cars still require a USB cable to connect to Android Auto, Android has come up with a wireless option that uses your phone and your car’s built-in Wi-Fi functionality to run. While most connections between phones and cars are via Bluetooth, BT connections do not have the bandwidth required to properly run Android Auto wireless.
This means that Android Auto wireless will only work with those cars that offer Wi-Fi functionality. Once set up, Android Auto wireless will automatically connect your phone to your car’s head unit as soon as you’re inside your vehicle.
Wireless Android Auto requirements
To use Android Auto wireless you will require a compatible car radio or a head unit that is compatible with Android Auto and that also features a built-in certified Wi-Fi connection.
You will also require a compatible phone. Pixel phones that run on Android 8.0 Oreo or newer, or Nexus 5X or 6P do the job. Some other phones are also compatible, like Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+, S9/S9+, S10/S10+, S20/S20+, Note 8/9/10, and others. All of those support Android Auto wireless when running on Android 9.0 Pie or higher.
Once both your phone and head unit are compatible, you can proceed to the setup process.
How to download the latest Android Auto apk
Android Auto wireless is not a separate app, it’s a part of Android Auto that is available on the Google Play Store. The app will allow you to use it only when your phone and car are compatible and paired.
Android Auto for Phone Screens
In case you don’t have a compatible head unit, you can use the Android Auto for Phone Screens on your phone. It will work the same way that it does on your head unit.
All you need to do is to use a phone holder that has fixed at a convenient angle and mount your phone on it. You can then connect your phone to your vehicle’s Bluetooth, and your music will play via the car’s audio system.
If Android Auto for Phone Screens is not yet officially available in your country, you can get it outside de Play Store by clicking here.
Requirements for Android Auto for phone screens
When Google integrated Android Auto with Android 10, the option to launch the app was suppressed, making it impossible to use the Android Auto app on the phone itself.
To face this, they came up with a stand-alone app called Android Auto for Phone Screens. It adds a home screen app button, allowing you to launch the app within your smartphone.
It performs the same functions as Android Auto without the need for a compatible head unit. Android Auto for Phone Screens also bypasses the need for a USB cable since it runs on the phone itself.
How to download it
All you need to do is to download the Android Auto apk from the Google Play Store, set it up and mount it on a phone holder that has conveniently been placed and you’re good to go. You can use Android Auto for Phone Screens if you have a phone that runs on Android 10.
Wrap Up
Android Auto created a new world in driving convenience, letting drivers operate their mobile devices without taking their eyes off the road.
To use the Android Auto app flawlessly, you have to follow the Android Auto requirements. Then, downloading the latest Android Auto apk will do the rest for you.
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