2018 Jeep Wrangler Android Auto

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Android Auto "Wireless"

Thread starter Spearmin
Start date Feb 25, 2020

First Name: Eric

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#1

I have seen several vidoes showing how Android Auto can be uses wirelessley. Does the Jeep support this, or do I need a special head unit. Would be nice to just hop in and AO just comes on.

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I have seen several vidoes showing how Android Auto can be uses wirelessley. Does the Jeep support this, or do I need a special head unit. Would be nice to just hop in and AO just comes on.

I just started using AO, I think its way better than the direct blue tooth connection. My only gripe is I wish that it could connect wireless. I did read an article that stated the bandwidth needed requires a wired connection.

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The new version of UConnect is supposed to support it, but not the current version.

https://www.theverge.com/2020/1/27/...exa-android-ota-updates-carplay-wireless-jeep
Uconnect 5 will also work better with smartphones. You'll be able to connect two phones simultaneously now for users who have multiple phones for personal and work use or just like fighting over who gets to pick the music. There's also support for wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, assuming your phone supports it. FCA is supporting integrated 4G LTE with Wi-Fi hot spot capabilities with Uconnect 5, allowing customers to make purchases through the car's interface for gas, takeout orders, and maintenance at dealerships.

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I have seen several vidoes showing how Android Auto can be uses wirelessley. Does the Jeep support this, or do I need a special head unit. Would be nice to just hop in and AO just comes on.

I think the way this would work would be to connect a device/dongle that essentially tricks the vehicle into thinking the phone is connected when it is actually connected to the dongle. There would be a small device that plugs into the vehicle USB port that wirelessly connects to the phone. The device/dongle would work for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

https://appleinsider.com/articles/20/01/28/this-dongle-can-upgrade-you-to-wireless-carplay-for-cheap

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#5

I think the way this would work would be to connect a device/dongle that essentially tricks the vehicle into thinking the phone is connected when it is actually connected to the dongle. There would be a small device that plugs into the vehicle USB port that wirelessly connects to the phone. The device/dongle would work for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
https://appleinsider.com/articles/20/01/28/this-dongle-can-upgrade-you-to-wireless-carplay-for-cheap

There are numerous videos out there on this already. I think the head unit has to support wifi. This already exists and is in use.

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Wireless Android Auto works by connecting via WiFi to create an ad-hoc style connection to your head unit. This is because the bandwidth needed is greater than Bluetooth has available. Unless the head unit has a WiFi antenna/circuit there is no way this can happen. There may be ways to upgrade the head unit when Uconnect 5 comes out, but we will have to see.

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I don't think you would want to do this anyway. Battery drain would start to be an issue for any drive longer than just a few minutes. Plugging a phone in takes zero effort and 1)keeps the battery charged and 2) helps keep ass-hats from dicking with their damn phone while they are driving. I know a person could still use their phone while it is plugged in, but I am so sick of seeing people screwing with their phone and not paying any damn attention to where they are going that anything that could get a phone out of a person's hands is a good thing in my book.

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I don't think you would want to do this anyway. Battery drain would start to be an issue for any drive longer than just a few minutes. Plugging a phone in takes zero effort and 1)keeps the battery charged and 2) helps keep ass-hats from dicking with their damn phone while they are driving. I know a person could still use their phone while it is plugged in, but I am so sick of seeing people screwing with their phone and not paying any damn attention to where they are going that anything that could get a phone out of a person's hands is a good thing in my book.

Actually you made some good points... and then there is "Ass-Hats" lol I gotta use this term on somebody today.

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I don't believe that our Uconnect 4 system has the processing power to use the wifi built in to it, to handle the Android Auto connection. It's a shame, it has all the components that are required for wireless Android Auto, it has a wireless router, and the system can be used for Android Auto by USB connection. I was holding out hope that the newest firmware update may be able to allow it to function... But it doesn't look like it will happen for the current generation of radios. I'm hopeful that the next will be backward compatible. If they don't do any crazy canbus changes there is a good chance. I honestly feel like wireless AA is much safer than tethered as it will encourage people to just leave their phones in their pockets or purses. Much less tempting than it being in plain sight in easy reach.

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I don't believe that our Uconnect 4 system has the processing power to use the wifi built in to it, to handle the Android Auto connection. It's a shame, it has all the components that are required for wireless Android Auto, it has a wireless router, and the system can be used for Android Auto by USB connection. I was holding out hope that the newest firmware update may be able to allow it to function... But it doesn't look like it will happen for the current generation of radios. I'm hopeful that the next will be backward compatible. If they don't do any crazy canbus changes there is a good chance. I honestly feel like wireless AA is much safer than tethered as it will encourage people to just leave their phones in their pockets or purses. Much less tempting than it being in plain sight in easy reach.

I didn't even realize it had the WiFi hotspot, I guess since I don't have the 8.4" unit. The phone does most of the processing for AA and it's just a mirror. I had a Mazda 3 before the Jeep and the only thing needed to upgrade my unit for AA was a USB 3 port. I had to upgrade the box containing the USB ports from 2 to 3. Once it had the bandwidth of USB 3 then the screen mirroring can happen.

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I didn't even realize it had the WiFi hotspot, I guess since I don't have the 8.4" unit. The phone does most of the processing for AA and it's just a mirror. I had a Mazda 3 before the Jeep and the only thing needed to upgrade my unit for AA was a USB 3 port. I had to upgrade the box containing the USB ports from 2 to 3. Once it had the bandwidth of USB 3 then the screen mirroring can happen.

I use the USB C port with my Note 9, the phone is great with either my wife's Volkswagen or the Ford Work truck, but it lags quite bad with my Jeep. That and the difficulty it has in processing the information for the off road pages leads me to believe that it is the radio that can't process the information fast enough. But I really haven't dug into the OS to figure out exactly what is being controlled by the radio, and what is on the phone.

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I use the USB C port with my Note 9, the phone is great with either my wife's Volkswagen or the Ford Work truck, but it lags quite bad with my Jeep. That and the difficulty it has in processing the information for the off road pages leads me to believe that it is the radio that can't process the information fast enough. But I really haven't dug into the OS to figure out exactly what is being controlled by the radio, and what is on the phone.

Huh, I do my Note 10 on the USB A port with absolutely no issue.

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Huh, I do my Note 10 on the USB A port with absolutely no issue.

same here, but I have been guilty of forgetting my phone in the car. Im coming from using a regular blue tooth connection in my previous car so I got used to leaving my phone in my pocket and just turning off the car a going.

First Name: Dusty

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I recall reading somewhere that there were some issues with some 2018 and not having a USB port that was capable of running at proper speeds. Maybe that is what is going on with mine. I have it working fine about 2/3rds of the time, but it never fails that when I really need it, it fails.

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2018 Jeep Wrangler Android Auto

Source: https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/android-auto-wireless.47126/

2018 Jeep Wrangler Android Auto