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

ZDNET’s key takeaways

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, 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.

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 or not 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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One of the key upgrades with the AAWireless Two is its ability to pair and swap between multiple devices, ideal for those who share a car with someone else. You’ll have to pair the secondary phone when the primary one is fully disconnected and download the companion app on it, too, but 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 and less with itself. 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, you can still juice up your phone in the car, so long as there’s a spare USB port, inlet, or wireless charging dock. But the convenience of using a single cable to power my phone while running Android Auto is missed.

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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 expected to be released in Q1 of 2025. That wouldn’t help me, an Android user, for now, but it does make the potential conversion to an iPhone a little less burdening.

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 to toggle on and off passthrough mode (for data transferring), fix audio stutters, disable TTS sink for routing navigation audio, and much more.