Google Pixel owners report Android Auto connection issues

If you have been using Android Auto for a few years, you’ll know connection issues are common with the app. This causes Android Auto to randomly stop or crash on your phone, which can be a frustrating experience when you are using the feature to mirror Google Maps on your car’s infotainment system for navigation. The situation has improved though, with Google taking multiple steps to mitigate this problem. But it seems the connection issues are back, with some Google Pixel users facing random disconnects with Android Auto.

There are multiple reports from Pixel 6 and 7 owners on Reddit (2) (via 9to5Google) about Android Auto randomly disconnecting on their phones while in use. The problem does not appear related to a faulty USB-C cable, as wireless Android Auto users are also facing instability issues. All the complaints popped up over the last few weeks, indicating a recent Android Auto build, Pixel update, or a server-side change from Google might be the root cause of the problem.

Given the number of reports, the issue appears to be widespread but limited to Tensor-powered Pixel phones. We have not spotted any complaints from users of our favorite Android phones regarding connectivity issues with Android Auto.

Some users have noticed that rebooting their phone and toggling Bluetooth off/on helps keep random disconnections at bay, but your mileage may vary. Restarting their car’s infotainment system does the trick for others, but this solution only works temporarily as the issue reappears after some time.

If you think your USB cable is faulty, Android Auto can help detect that. But if the cable passes the test and you are still running into connection issues, there’s not much you can do except wait for Google to resolve the problem.