Easily Add wireless Android Auto to your 2020+ in 15 minutes

The

$53 Motorola MA1 , The Only Google Authorized Wireless Android Auto Car Adapter, Smartphone to Screen Wireless Bridge Car Accessories, USB Type-A

Motorola MA1 will work with any of the Android Auto enabled head units. I can't speak to the adapter cable and hidden setup, so if you skip the adapter cable then you'll just have the MA1 adapter plugged into the USB port you normally use. It'll give you wireless AA but it wouldn't be hidden, the MA1 would be visible.

 

Did the original cable have a 2nd port so that the dash USB port is still functional? I'm guessing not?

I wonder if you could just set up a USB hub off the head-unit connection and run 2 lines to reconnect the dash port and the wireless adapter.

 

My wife got me a

$53 Motorola MA1 , The Only Google Authorized Wireless Android Auto Car Adapter, Smartphone to Screen Wireless Bridge Car Accessories, USB Type-A

Motorola MA1 for my birthday and it works great! I didn’t bother hiding it behind the dash and all that. I just used some double sided tape to stick it up there right under the USB plug (on the top part/roof of the charging cubby) so it’s out of the way. The functionality has been pretty much perfect after spending over a week with it. I haven’t had any connectability issues with it and my Galaxy S21. Android Auto works just as good as when my phone was plugged in via the cable. The only (minor) issue I had was my Youtube music app wasn’t showing up on the dash screen initially, so I uninstalled/reinstalled AA on my phone and then it showed back up .

Side note, I could watch that chick take apart a dash all day.

 

FWIW, I think this cable can be used to relocate a USB connection to the headunit. I'll possibly go this route with the MA1 I have in the truck now.

Yihao for Axxess Ax-Toyusb (Axtoyusb) for Select Toyota & Lexus OEM USB Retention Adapte

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XKUVJQG?smid=ACSKNBF2C3HCL

 

So, I ended up getting this unit. https://carplaysmartbox.com/products/wireless-box-plus

After using it for a couple of weeks, it works pretty good with some annoyances:

It auto-starts up after turning on the truck, plays an annoying intro-video but that can be changed.
It has the usual "press to continue" disclaimer just like the one that happens on the stock head unit, but unlike the head unit one it won't time out so you have to tap the touch screen.
EDIT: Tinkered around in the settings and it seems you can disable this, as well as the audio of the start-up video.

And, as a consequence of it being wireless, makes my phone just burn through the battery.
I keep it laying down in the wireless charging area but it still ends up slowly using more power than it gains.

 

Yeah, and I'm wondering if the Qi charger is underpowered as well. Not all Qi wireless chargers are created equal. Might be 10Watt only. There are some that are 15 and even 20W.
I wonder where we could find out more, specifically the output rating.

 

I would not be surprised if its a low watt unit. 10W chargers were the most common standard up till a few years ago and Toyota isn't known for using the "latest" tech.

 

Old thread, but this is something I'm curious about. Are there any cables out there that would give you the male end to plug into the back of the unit, then split from there to the female usb and a female version of the plug in? I can't find anything. Also, I hope what I said makes sense.

 

Something like this, but with the correct plugs.