Why this $60 Android Auto wireless adapter is my favorite tech accessory this year

Key points of ZDNET

• 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 powerful, but that’s not the worst thing.

Since I bought my first car two years ago, I’ve had the worst luck with the wireless Android Auto adapter. I initially joined Motorola MA1 because of its popularity and admittedly because of Amazon’s algorithmic recommendations, it’s simply too unreliable to use during commutes and road trips.

The pairing process isn’t always the fastest; Audio playback (including navigation instructions) tends to stutter, and the dongle often gets so hot that it feels uncomfortable to tuck it inside the center console. When I ventured into a generic brand, its “wireless Android Auto” interpretation meant completely replacing the operating system with its own proprietary user interface. Ouch.

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A bit of cross shopping recently led me to AA Wireless adapterlike 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 pretty simple: You download and open the AAWireless companion app, plug the adapter into your car via USB-A, press and hold its multi-function button to initiate pairing mode, then Connect to it on your phone screen. From this point on, your phone will automatically pair with the adapter when your car is turned on.

The pairing process alone is superior to other wireless adapters, as the multi-function button doubles as an LED indicator ring, saving you from having to guess whether the adapter is on (or disabled). pairing mode is enabled or not). It took me a while to get used to what each color meant, but after the first few days of testing, I got the hang of things. Just make sure you’re looking straight at the LED ring, as the colors are harder to see when off-axis.

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One of the important upgrades of AAWireless Two is the ability to pair and exchange between multiple devices, ideal for those who share a car with others. You’ll have to pair the secondary phone with the primary phone completely disconnected and download the companion app on it, but switching between the two is as simple as a press of the multifunction button.

I really like the app’s ability to set a priority list for which devices to connect to. I’m usually the one driving between my wife and I, so we prefer to use the adapter to pair with our phones. After doing so, the Android Auto experience generally ran smoothly, responding to my button presses without much lag (if any) and playing Spotify without missing a beat.

My concerns with the AAWireless Two adapter have more to do with the product category and less to do with the product itself. For example, switching to a wireless adapter means my phone is no longer plugged in and gradually charges as I drive around town. For road trips or commuting into the city (which can take up to an hour), that trickle-down fee is something I take for granted. Of course, you can still charge your phone in your car, as long as there’s a spare USB port, power outlet, or wireless charging pad. But the convenience of using a single cable to power my phone when running Android Auto is missed.

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The AAWireless Two adapter also does not support Apple CarPlay. After all, it’s branded AA (Android Auto) Wireless and not CPWireless, but the company is still missing out on a large number of users. Luckily, AAWireless Two Plus, which has a hardware redesign to support CarPlay, is said to be in the works and is expected to be released in Q1 2025. That doesn’t help me as an Android user right now, but it does make the potential switch to iPhone a little less burdensome.

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That’s all to say: AAWireless Two is the best wireless Android Auto adapter I’ve tested to date, and I’ve used it quite a bit. It’s reasonably priced, works as well as it looks, and most importantly, had reliable connection throughout my trip.

If you have any problems with the adapter, I recommend first checking the companion app for any relevant diagnostic and troubleshooting tools. There are options to enable and disable pass-through mode (for data transmission), fix audio errors, disable TTS sinking for navigation audio routing, etc.