A new Android Auto support page update confirms that all smartphones running Android 11 will support wireless Android Auto. Of course, this will only apply to compatible head units that are in-built or supplied by third parties. There are a few caveats for the support in some regions such as the EU, though.
The support article states that the feature will be supporting “Any smartphone with Android 11.0 and 5GHz Wi-Fi”. However, in the EU, devices will have to comply with regulatory requirements laid out for radio frequencies used by short-range devices. Additionally, the wireless experience will not be supported in countries such as Japan and Russia as before, even on devices running Android 11. You can head to the documentation here to check if your car or third-party head unit supports Android Auto.
Google debuted wireless Android Auto back in 2018 and was originally supported only by the company’s Pixel and Nexus devices. It was then expanded to select Samsung Galaxy phones late last year. The search giant is also opening up the service to more apps, including digital parking apps. With more manufacturers adding support for wireless Android Auto, expanding the feature to more phones makes sense.
Google is expected to release Android 11 to supported Pixel devices in September. However, Pixel devices already support the wireless variant of the service, so users with devices from other OEMs such as OnePlus will have to wait longer till the OS update is served to them to start using Android Auto wirelessly, provided their vehicles support the feature.
Source: Android Auto Help via 9to5Google
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