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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The AAWireless Two costs $65 and gives you wireless Android Auto support when plugged in.
- A new built-in button lets you quickly swap between paired devices.
- The companion app is almost too robust, but that’s not the worst thing.
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Update: The AAWireless Two adapter is back in stock on Amazon again. We’ll update this story if/when it’s unavailable again.
Since I bought my first car two years ago, I’ve had the worst luck with wireless Android Auto adapters. I initially sprung for the Motorola MA1<!–> because of its popularity and, admittedly, Amazon’s algorithmic recommendation, but it was simply too unreliable to use during commutes and road trips.
The pairing process wasn’t always the fastest; audio playback (including navigation instructions) tended to stutter, and the dongle would often get so warm that it felt uncomfortable stashing it inside the center console. When I took the risk on a different, generic brand, its interpretation of “wireless Android Auto” meant fully replacing the operating system with its own proprietary user interface. Boo.
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A bit of cross-shopping recently led me to the AAWireless adapter–>, which, like the Motorola MA1, connects to your car via USB-A and serves as a wireless receiver for Android Auto. I’ve been testing it for the past few weeks, and my driving experience has never been more refreshing.
The AAWireless Two adapter costs $65, which is actually cheaper than its predecessor and competing accessories. How it works is fairly straightforward: You download and open the AAWireless companion app (should you want to make any modifications or update the software), plug the adapter into your car via USB-A, long press its multifunctional button to initiate pairing mode, and then connect to it on your phone screen. From this point forward, your phone will automatically pair to the adapter when your car is turned on.
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The pairing process alone is superior to that of other wireless adapters, as the multifunctional button doubles as an LED indicator ring, saving you from second-guessing whether the adapter is on or not (or if pairing mode has been activated). It took some time to familiarize myself with what each color meant, but after the first few days of testing, I got the hang of things. Just make sure you’re staring straight at the LED ring, as the coloring is less visible when off-axis.
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The AAWireless Two can pair and swap between multiple devices, which is ideal for those who share a car with someone else. Setting up the secondary device is the same as the first, and swapping between the two is as simple as a single press of the multifunctional button.
I’m a fan of the app’s ability to set a priority list for which device to connect with. I’m usually the one driving between my wife and me, so we prefer the adapter to pair with my phone. Once it does, the Android Auto experience often works fluidly, reacting to my button presses without much lag (if any), and playing Spotify without skipping a beat.
My qualms with the AAWireless Two adapter have more to do with the product category as a whole. For example, switching to a wireless adapter means my phone is no longer plugged in and charging gradually as I drive around town.
For road trips or commutes into the city (which can take upwards of an hour), that trickle charge is something I’ve taken for granted. Of course, I can still juice up my phone if there’s a spare USB port, inlet, or wireless charging dock, but I miss the convenience of using a single cable to power my phone while running Android Auto.
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The AAWireless Two adapter also doesn’t support Apple CarPlay. It’s branded as AA (Android Auto) Wireless and not CPWireless, after all, but the company is still missing out on a large user base. Fortunately, an AAWireless Two Plus, which features a hardware redesign to support CarPlay, is reportedly in the works and set to be released in Q1 2025. That wouldn’t help me, an Android user, but it does make the potential conversion to an iPhone a little less burdensome.
ZDNET’s buying advice
That’s all to say: the AAWireless Two<!–> is the best wireless Android Auto adapter I’ve tested to date, and I’ve used quite a few. It’s priced well, functions as well as it looks, and, most importantly, holds a reliable connection throughout my rides.
Should you have any issues with the adapter, I recommend checking the companion app first for any relevant diagnostic and troubleshooting tools. There are options for toggling pass-through mode (for data transferring), fixing audio stutters, disabling TTS sink for routing navigation audio, and much more.
This article was originally published on November 15, 2024, and was updated on December 16, 2024.
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