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Android Auto is the quintessential driving system for Android mobiles. Although the latest update to the platform has completely scrapped the application, today it is still accessible through an application that Google has developed specifically for certain Android models. Outside of this limitation, the truth is that most mobiles are compatible with Android Auto, as we will see below.
Which mobiles are compatible with Android Auto
To know the list of Android phones compatible with Android Auto, it is necessary to refer to the minimum requirements of the application.
As we were announcing at the beginning of the article, the latest Android Auto update has completely discarded the application in versions of Android equal to or greater than Android 10. To access it on any compatible mobile phone we will have to connect the device to the car through a USB cable that supports data transfer. The application will automatically pop up on the car screen.
And what about the rest of Android phones with Android 9 and lower versions? What happens if our car is not compatible with Android Auto? In the first case we will have to resort to the original application, which we can download from this link. In the second case, we will have to use the Android Auto application for phone screens, which we can download from this other link.
Regarding the minimum requirements of Android Auto, Google estimates the following:
- Android version equal to or higher than Android 5.0 Lollipop. Android 6.0 Marshmallow is recommended for a better user experience.
- A micro USB or USB Type-C cable that supports data transfer. Ideally, use the original mobile cable (optional)
- A car, radio or navigation system compatible with Android Auto (optional).
Regardless of whether or not we have a car compatible with Android Auto, any mobile phone that meets the above conditions will be able to use the platform, either from the vehicle's navigation system through the mobile's touch screen.
Android Auto without cables: compatible mobiles
There is another alternative to connect the phone to the car without cables if we have a vehicle compatible with Android Auto. This alternative consists of making use of the Bluetooth connection to use Android Auto wirelessly, although we will have to previously use a USB cable to perform the initial synchronization.
The requirements that Google imposes are the following:
- A wireless Android Auto compatible car, radio or navigation system (required).
- Android Auto version equal to or greater than 4.7 (required).
- Android version equal to or greater than Oreo 8.0 (required). The ideal is to have Android 9 Pie.
- A micro USB or USB Type-C cable that supports data transfer. It is best to use the original mobile cable (mandatory).
As for wireless Android Auto compatible phones, the current list is limited to a few models, as we will see below.
- Google Pixel and Pixel XL
- Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL
- Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL
- Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL
- Google Pixel 3a
- Google Nexus 5X
- Google Nexus 6P
- Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus
- Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus
- Samsung Galaxy S10, S10e and S10 Plus
The last limitation that Google imposes on manufacturers depends entirely on location. Currently wireless Android Auto is not active Spain. Yes, it is in most Latin American countries. The complete list is as follows:
- Argentina
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Canada
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Ecuador
- United States
- Guatemala
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Puerto Rico
- Dominican Republic
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
