Database Develop

Android Auto and the Nexus 6.

I thought it may be interesting to have a thread where Nexus 6 users with the supporting hardware systems could post: Tips, How to's, experience, etc. about the Android Auto APK and Nexus 6 devices. Please feel free to enlighten all who enter. :good:

Android auto is just a remote display and sound, isn't it? I don't find it particularly interesting since it *depends* on the phone for the "android" aspect. It is a much better option to install an Android HU in the car, then it isn't functionally dependent on the phone.

Not sure if you're asking or telling.
doitright said:
Android auto is just a remote display and sound, isn't it? I don't find it particularly interesting since it *depends* on the phone for the "android" aspect. It is a much better option to install an Android HU in the car, then it isn't functionally dependent on the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is a mobile application for using your phone in a car. It displays on the cars touch screen and is controlled by voice commands. It only uses the bluetooth stack for phone calls, all other sound and video comes from the phones usb port. This equates to better audio and clear, crisp video. By the way, it only works on the latest Android HU.

i've been using it with my Pioneer 4100-NEX, it works quite well. i wish you could swipe away cards and have more notifications push though (ie, sms and hangouts come through, but not facebook messenger)
all in all i'm pretty happy with it, it's fast, simple, pretty and i've been pleasantly surprised with how responsive the resistive screen on the HU is.

vvveith said:
It is a mobile application
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No. Its an interface.
for using your phone in a car. It displays on the cars touch screen and is controlled by voice commands. It only uses the bluetooth stack for phone calls, all other sound and video comes from the phones usb port. This equates to better audio and clear, crisp video.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Translate to what I said.
By the way, it only works on the latest Android HU.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HU does *not* require android to work with android auto.

If you want to try out Android Auto you can sign up for the beta of the app called AutoMate. First you'll need to join the beta group in Google+. Next you'll have to agree to be a beta tester with google play. Then you'll finally be able to download the app. I have been using the app for a couple of days now and I personally think that it is great. Its just like Android Auto, at least from what i've seen in all of the android auto demos. I have a pretty good car mount that can fit the nexus 6 so when I took a 4 hour trip this weekend everything worked flawlessly. The best part is that you've already got a giant 6 inch capacitive screen, why not use it instead of paying at least $800 for the cheap resistive screen version of the pioneer head units.

I have a pretty interesting issue where my Android Wear watch (Moto 360) is being CONSTANTLY pinged by my Nexus 6 while plugged into Android Auto. For the life of me, I can't figure out why. Maps is the only app I use regularly in Android Auto and I have it muted on Android Wear...yet, it's draining my Moto 360 battery QUICKLY every time I plug in. It's the strangest thing. I've had to start putting my 360 into Airplane mode to avoid problems while driving. As soon as I unplug the Nexus from my Android Auto HU, I then have to reconnect my 360 in the Android Wear app...or else it won't reconnect and continues to drain battery.
Seriously the weirdest thing.

yeah I have the pioneer 4100nex and originally was using a Moto G and it works great and then I preorderd the ATT galaxy S6 Edge and received it on tuesday, well the S6 edge doesn't work with the Android Auto, so I returned it and just bought google play edition Nexus 6 64gb, and works perfect, I really like the google navigation, reads texts and you can voice reply to the texts,you can play your google music, I`m very happy with it.:good:

That is not the purpose of this thread.
blakedunc235 said:
If you want to try out Android Auto you can sign up for the beta of the app called AutoMate. First you'll need to join the beta group in Google+. Next you'll have to agree to be a beta tester with google play. Then you'll finally be able to download the app. I have been using the app for a couple of days now and I personally think that it is great. Its just like Android Auto, at least from what i've seen in all of the android auto demos. I have a pretty good car mount that can fit the nexus 6 so when I took a 4 hour trip this weekend everything worked flawlessly. The best part is that you've already got a giant 6 inch capacitive screen, why not use it instead of paying at least $800 for the cheap resistive screen version of the pioneer head units.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like to believe we all know how to use our phones hands free in a car and need no special app to do that. That's the way most of us have been doing it for the past six years or so since the smartphones came out. A simple bluetooth radio used to give you all you needed paired with your phones screen. But now it's much easier to get into your car, plug your device into your hidden USB port and let it charge with screen off and have a heads up display on your radios big screen while the audio is streamed through USB and the only thing using the bluetooth stack is the phone part of the phone. Sound quality is vastly improved and everything runs so much smoother. Plus the steering wheel controls for answering calls, activating OK google and other voice related options allows you to keep your eyes on the road and your hands upon the wheel.

vvveith said:
I like to believe we all know how to use our phones hands free in a car and need no special app to do that. That's the way most of us have been doing it for the past six years or so since the smartphones came out. A simple bluetooth radio used to give you all you needed paired with your phones screen. But now it's much easier to get into your car, plug your device into your hidden USB port and let it charge with screen off and have a heads up display on your radios big screen while the audio is streamed through USB and the only thing using the bluetooth stack is the phone part of the phone. Sound quality is vastly improved and everything runs so much smoother. Plus the steering wheel controls for answering calls, activating OK google and other voice related options allows you to keep your eyes on the road and your hands upon the wheel.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First if your car already has Bluetooth like mine then you still have all of the same controls as the actual android auto head units. Also just like on my phone it's not like you can just say OK Google with the music playing but if the music isn't at least I can just say OK Google even with the screen off as well and will get a response. More that likely a person will still end up looking at the device or take their hands off of the wheel when giving a command. I mean come on, Google now works but everyone knows that it's still not perfect yet. Even on my phone I still have to type out what I'm saying even if I'm annunciating perfectly just FYI... Bluetooth audio has also vastly improved over the years. I would argue that the average person would not even notice the difference between Bluetooth audio and being playing directly over USB. Also don't say that it runs 'so much smoother' because most of us have seen the videos and they are still laggy and still not as responsive as our phone themselves. I was simply giving an option to people who wanted to try out android auto without having to buy a crappy resistive screen head unit unless you wanted to shell out over $1000 for one. Also is not a heads up display... A heads up display would be something out in the area of where the driver will be looking out of the windshield as to not having to take their eyes off of the road ahead.

Please.
blakedunc235 said:
First if your car already has Bluetooth like mine then you still have all of the same controls as the actual android auto head units. Also just like on my phone it's not like you can just say OK Google with the music playing but if the music isn't at least I can just say OK Google even with the screen off as well and will get a response. More that likely a person will still end up looking at the device or take their hands off of the wheel when giving a command. I mean come on, Google now works but everyone knows that it's still not perfect yet. Even on my phone I still have to type out what I'm saying even if I'm annunciating perfectly just FYI... Bluetooth audio has also vastly improved over the years. I would argue that the average person would not even notice the difference between Bluetooth audio and being playing directly over USB. Also don't say that it runs 'so much smoother' because most of us have seen the videos and they are still laggy and still not as responsive as our phone themselves. I was simply giving an option to people who wanted to try out android auto without having to buy a crappy resistive screen head unit unless you wanted to shell out over $1000 for one. Also is not a heads up display... A heads up display would be something out in the area of where the driver will be looking out of the windshield as to not having to take their eyes off of the road ahead.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please try and understand what I started this thread for. It is for those of us who are using Android Auto with a supporting head unit. Just like back a few months ago, I was using the sync system in my car. I have never had any issues with my voice to text, every once in a while a word would be incorrect, but the more you use it in a quite environment the better your results get. My text messaging reads back my response before it sends and I can either allow it to send or say the message again. I have not had to touch my phone in a car for five years and don't plan on doing anything like that today even with the radios display. The idea of hands free is exactly that, Hands Free. If you don't have the tech to support and help contribute to developing apps that help alleviate the use of hands in the car, this is not the forum thread for you. I don't know what music application you prefer, but the ones I use I pay a premium for because they offer me higher bandwidth and truer sound. And you can immediately here the difference between bluetooth and wired. It's been rumored already that Bluetooth is soon to become extinct and it seems that is the way mobile tech is rolling. BTW, HU the way I was using it my Head Unit not heads up.

The good part is.....
doitright said:
Android auto is just a remote display and sound, isn't it? I don't find it particularly interesting since it *depends* on the phone for the "android" aspect. It is a much better option to install an Android HU in the car, then it isn't functionally dependent on the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That would be the ideal, but very few cars come with a built in cellular connection, I know they are available but this is the inexpensive way to go. What I like the most about it is the ability to put the phone in my center compartment where the USB outlet is hidden, shut the compartment while the phone is charging and still have access to all of my phones functionality straight from the steering wheel. It's wonderful not to have to look at a screen, and if I do glance at the screen to see a turn that might be coming up or what song is playing on a stream, it is big and clear and takes not even a second to see. Luckily, the Navigation in google maps is pretty trustworthy and gives voice commands with plenty of time to spare so it's rare to even have to look at the Map when moving. My next car will have built in cellular service, it was just still to expensive four years ago when I bought my car and my service provider did not have a system in place for plugging in their tech. They do now but I won't be in the market for another car for at least another year. The thing that got me into having a Android Auto supporting HU is my text messaging application and the sync system, would not play nice together anymore because of changes in Lollipop from kit kat. Sync kept crashing the bluetooth sharing feature anytime I received a text. And since I was using that tech for the past four years, there was no way I was going back to having to touch a screen or try and type a text in the car. The developers I work with tried many fixes to see if we could alleviate the problem, but every thing we tried failed. The problem was immediately remedied with the new HU. Now I'm trying to find others that use the same tech, so we can share our experiences and any other useful features we find or help each other with certain problems one might experience. That is what this thread is about. If you have a Android Auto compatible HU and a Nexus device, this is a place to share.

LF: Android Auto Experience, without the Wires

feedback non-existent in H/U forum so thought i'd try my luck here.
seeking recommendation to be installed into RSX
back in January I looked into Android Auto/CarPlay from the brand names but they require USB connection to phone = dealbreaker
not looking to DIY a tablet into the dash
LF a 2DIN head unit that works very similiarly to AA without the wires.
I'm looking to have run this app pretty much on default
http://www.androidcentral.com/hands-automate-android-auto-your-phone
will be installing myself
to be used with Galaxy Nexus GSM on 4.3...quite long in the tooth my next phone is likely Note 5 or the new LG Nexus
convenience is key. I just want to enter the car and have BT auto connected to the phone and ready to stream music without having to pull out my phone.
voice-enabled messaging, google apps, backup cam, capacitative touch screen are all requirements. volume knob, 2gb ram, quad-core processor and large community dev support would be nice.I didn't look at Hufei and AN-21 because their specs are dated as they've been around for a while now. I've been waiting for android 5.0 head units to hit the market but it's taking forever.
i'm not an audiophile so as long as the sound quality isn't worse than a stock Honda radio I'm good which is only mediocre at best.

I think you're confused about a few things.
1. Android Auto requires USB, period. It doesn't work any other way.
2. AutoMate is not the same as Android Auto. It's a launcher that looks sort of like Android Auto. It has nothing to do with your other phone, bluetooth, etc. It's standalone. If you want to stream music from your phone you're gonna have a bad time.
The NU3001 is the best (i.e., most modern) head unit available today. Because the source code is available the community has developed a ROM that is car friendly and does work with bluetooth streaming, Google Now, etc. You can run AutoMate on it if you want but I finally uninstalled it as it's just a (pretty) layer that gets in the way between your maps/music/phone apps and you. There are variants available with a physical volume knob but to my knowledge they don't have one for a Honda.

alaninsitges said:
1. Android Auto requires USB, period. It doesn't work any other way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android Auto has Wifi support built in, but AFAIK my Headunit app is the only way to make it work at present, unless you have access to some unreleased devices/apps.
To Original poster: I don't think a solution with all the features you want exists yet. We've been waiting for decades for useful, robust implementations of the sort of environment that Android Auto and CarPlay provide.
I hope that within the next 2 years we will have solutions that are useful and "just work". The ones we have now clearly need work and seem as immature as Android 1.x and 2.x compared with the Android 5.x/6.x level solutions we want.

Use car headunit without android auto

I'm thinking it may be possible to make an app that mirrors what is shown on the phone screen to the car headunit by emulating the Android Auto communication protocol. Touches on the headunit screen could be transmitted back to the phone for interaction with the apps. Most of what Android Auto does is screen display over USB and some touchscreen interaction with the user so it may not be hard to get some of the features.
Does this already exist? If not, do we know if anyone is working on this?

Yes, this is possible.
I am not aware of anyone planning to do this. Google would surely ban an app on Play that does this, as they did with my AA Headunit app. So, along with IMO little demand for this, there is little financial incentive to do this.
I've considered doing this myself, but I'm concentrating on my Headunit app at this time.
Most people with Android Auto compatible HUs will IMO want to use AA (or Apple Carplay if iPhone), rather than mirroring over AA protocol. If they want true mirroring, there are open protocols for this.
(One exception might be for cars with factory AA compatible HUs, if those HUs do not support mirroring.)
I think devs may be more friendly to using open mirroring protocols, rather than using a secret, undocumented protocol that will get the apps booted from Google Play.

mikereidis said:
(One exception might be for cars with factory AA compatible HUs, if those HUs do not support mirroring.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is specifically what I'm thinking about. Maybe I want to look up yelp reviews, watch a youtube video, or browse the web on my car headunit while parked when the headunit does not specifically support streaming other than android auto. There is some added value to having a car with an android auto capable headunit if there is a way to do things not supported by google/the car manufacturers.
If the protocol is simple enough, this may be possible with a rooted device. Since it sounds like android auto is pretty much video/audio streaming over USB, this may not be hard to do.
How a developer can get money doing this is another question. This certainly would be something you could not sell in the play store. I'd certainly donate for a good app but I know that is a difficult way to make money unless you have a large audience.

communication between Auto and phone
Is anyone still working this?
I am interested in knowing how the communications between Android Auto and phone is? Communications seems complete gibberish. Are they using any particular Android protocol for communication?

Android Auto add apps

Hi guys,
I have something I don't understand...
In the past I had a jailbreaked iPhone where I could add specific apps that I want in Apple CarPlay.
Don't know why thats not possible with a rooted s10...
I don't want mirroring or all the apps show in AA...
Can someone tell me if this is possible in Andriod Auto?
(Don't want to go back to iPhone... ) :highfive:
Peace!
Mo
Mo

For now the answer is no. If you are on version 4.7xxx this will not allow you to customize your apps on the screen. BUT, in a teardown of 4.7, there are strings that make mention of some new features coming, and that is one of them. So, for now it looks like we have to wait just a little bit longer for this feature to become live in a future release.

The main problem on Android is that any app to be used on AA should be adapted by its developer in order to work in AA. This means that no jailbreak or root won't help to make an app available on AA. I've heard somewhere that it is or it was (at that time) possible to view youtube clips on the car's infotainment screen, but I don't know how. The only apps usable for now on AA are the ones listed when choosing Apps for AA on AA's menu.
Sent from my SM-N975F using Tapatalk

Something I dont understand. Why does anyone even entertain installing android auto - just to read messages ?
It seems that millions of people are ??
Ignoring for a moment any personal blatent data mining of google apps generally.
There seems to be quite a few prerequisites for running it. Besides having a permanent data connection (In a car, and while travelling ??)
Then while nearly every head unit capable of running it, has already many built in apps to do most things like play music / radio, run various navigation programs, play videos etc. which are ignored in favour of what ever 'approved' apps are on our phones and that are heavily restricted.
And all the while after faffing about finding and connecting the usb plug just to make it work. Really ?
So just what are the compelling reasons for using it. I'm genuinly interested.

cleverdicky said:
Something I dont understand. Why does anyone even entertain installing android auto - just to read messages ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If all Android Auto did was read messages and allow Google Assistant through car audio, it would still be really good. But it does a lot more.
cleverdicky said:
There seems to be quite a few prerequisites for running it. Besides having a permanent data connection (In a car, and while travelling ??)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The data connection comes from your phone. It's not built into the car audio, although it could be, I guess.
cleverdicky said:
Then while nearly every head unit capable of running
it, has already many built in apps to do most things like play music / radio, run various navigation programs, play videos etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've never seen a head unit with Tidal or Waze built in, can you link to the one you're talking about?
I have a Sony XAV-AX210 and it doesn't have GPS at all. Furthermore, it's practically unheard of for OEM head units to stay up-to-date with firmware, and they literally charge hundreds of dollars for updated maps for the built-in GPS.
And you're saying that even though I have everything on my phone, I should take the time to make USB sticks of all that stuff? LOL, WUT?
cleverdicky said:
And all the while after faffing about finding and connecting the usb plug just to make it work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That sounds like a problem only you are having. Almost everyone I know plugs their phone in while driving, regardless of having a head unit that will connect to it.
Based on the latest version of CarPlay and Android Auto, I personally think Android Auto is really lacking outside of its map display, and CarPlay is just WAY better, but if you have an Android device, it's nice to have.

I have android auto because it is the only way I can get GPS maps for my truck without paying nearly 900$ for OEM maps. I have all permissions denied for android auto and nearly all Google apps disabled with permissions denied. I use AA mirror to mirror my phone and use osmAND for maps. YouTube vanced for background play of music. Once I get a Bluetooth obd 2 dongle I will use torque as well. My truck is a 2019 Colorado zr2. The sales sticker was misleading in that the truck does have turn by turn voice GPS that is a paid service from on star but didn't come with the maps app. In order to get the maps app for my truck I need to replace the OEM head unit with either after market or gray market device. So far my attempts of side loading a maps app to the head unit have failed.

OK if your stuck with manufaturers head units, especially running win ce, I agree you are limited to what apps you can run.
But you can still mirror your phone to the head unit and run apps you want like waze. Even the cheapest basic chinese headunit can do that.
And whether you use phone or head unit for data collection, you still need a data connection.
Many gps / maps dont need live data to work such as sygic or Igo, and require just occasional connections ( for traffic updates / weather ) but only if wanted. They still work without.

cleverdicky said:
Something I dont understand. Why does anyone even entertain installing android auto - just to read messages ?
It seems that millions of people are ??
Ignoring for a moment any personal blatent data mining of google apps generally.
There seems to be quite a few prerequisites for running it. Besides having a permanent data connection (In a car, and while travelling ??)
Then while nearly every head unit capable of running it, has already many built in apps to do most things like play music / radio, run various navigation programs, play videos etc. which are ignored in favour of what ever 'approved' apps are on our phones and that are heavily restricted.
And all the while after faffing about finding and connecting the usb plug just to make it work. Really ?
So just what are the compelling reasons for using it. I'm genuinly interested.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hiii,
There seems to be quite a few prerequisites for running it. Besides having a permanent data connection (In a car, and while travelling ??)
=》 i have SIM card in my card and unlimited data..
Then while nearly every head unit capable of running it, has already many built in apps to do most things like play music / radio, run various navigation programs, play videos etc. which are ignored in favour of what ever 'approved' apps are on our phones and that are heavily restricted.
=》 true true but you can't watch video ... but I have carstream for that...
So just what are the compelling reasons for using it. I'm genuinely interested
=》 the only reason I need it, is because i want coyote displayed in my 10.1 auto screen and not anymore in my phone... don't want waze
It's so bad that an iPhone has the advantage of adding apps... :crying: :crying:
Grtzzz.

Question The good old Android Auto Vivo Problem

Hey Guys,
i searched the Web for a possibility to get AA running on my X70 Pro+ with Origin OS Ocean....
Unfortunately there are only Posts and Threads about the X60 and other Vivo Phones and so on .
The issue seems to be the same.
Has anyone found a workaround to get AA running on Origin OS....?
I was hoping for Android 12 to get the Phone going, but no Idea what time we will get Android 12 and if Vivo sets permissions for AA then.
Cheers and greetings from Germany

Hi,
Right now, there is unfortunately no way to get Android Auto working. After Android 10 Android Auto only trigger car installation of it is a system application. Since there is not the case with Vivo and you couldn't mount AA as a system, you are out of options to make it work.
There is a slight, but really a slight option that it might work with the new Coolwalk version which will be available later this year.
Otherwise, the head unit direct version is also in preparation.
If you want the working AA now, the only realistic option is to buy an Android CarPlay dongle, or using a spare phone with older Android version as a buffer triggered from your phone hotspot (or with a separate sim card).

piskr said:
Hi,
Right now, there is unfortunately no way to get Android Auto working. After Android 10 Android Auto only trigger car installation of it is a system application. Since there is not the case with Vivo and you couldn't mount AA as a system, you are out of options to make it work.
There is a slight, but really a slight option that it might work with the new Coolwalk version which will be available later this year.
Otherwise, the head unit direct version is also in preparation.
If you want the working AA now, the only realistic option is to buy an Android CarPlay dongle, or using a spare phone with older Android version as a buffer triggered from your phone hotspot (or with a separate sim card).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much for the detailed explanation

Im looking for an EZ solution too
But from my knowledge the only work around right now is root the phone and make AA an system app
which is not EZ for vivo since it does not allow to unlock bootloader

There is simply no chance to run AA with x70 pro+ now. The only viable solution are android dongles running on past Android versions and triggering car AA. Or even better - if you have or can buy cheap an Android 8, 9 or 10 phone with full gps and at least 4g ram (could be with broken screen or scratches), you can use it as an interface.

The only way to have android auto to work on your vehicle is to have the one with Funtouch OS (which I have), other than that, you will waste your time in trying to find a way to make it work..

piskr said:
Hi,
Right now, there is unfortunately no way to get Android Auto working. After Android 10 Android Auto only trigger car installation of it is a system application. Since there is not the case with Vivo and you couldn't mount AA as a system, you are out of options to make it work.
There is a slight, but really a slight option that it might work with the new Coolwalk version which will be available later this year.
Otherwise, the head unit direct version is also in preparation.
If you want the working AA now, the only realistic option is to buy an Android CarPlay dongle, or using a spare phone with older Android version as a buffer triggered from your phone hotspot (or with a separate sim card).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will a dongle fix the connection issue?

piskr said:
Hi,
Right now, there is unfortunately no way to get Android Auto working. After Android 10 Android Auto only trigger car installation of it is a system application. Since there is not the case with Vivo and you couldn't mount AA as a system, you are out of options to make it work.
There is a slight, but really a slight option that it might work with the new Coolwalk version which will be available later this year.
Otherwise, the head unit direct version is also in preparation.
If you want the working AA now, the only realistic option is to buy an Android CarPlay dongle, or using a spare phone with older Android version as a buffer triggered from your phone hotspot (or with a separate sim card).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My head unit is after market and supports wireless. I know that my x fold won't hook up. Are you saying if I get carplay dongle I can hook my vivo wifi to it and it will work?

Sonicsoul25 said:
My head unit is after market and supports wireless. I know that my x fold won't hook up. Are you saying if I get carplay dongle I can hook my vivo wifi to it and it will work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The head unit has to support Android Auto. Then you can choose from a variety of dongles. Even though they have more or less the same chip, they are different. Each producer tries to squeeze the most from the device, and they have a different approach.
Basically, you must avoid those, which don't clearly stated that some version of Android is installed. Without Android you gain nothing, it's only wireless connection - for IOS.
Most of them have Android 9 or 10, though in the last time 11 appears as well. That is really interesting, because with Android 11 you must have AA as a system app in order to trigger it on a head unit. It looks like producers now solve that issue.
And surprisingly, the core you get on the head unit, if everything goes ok, is not Android, it's IOS. In that core you have android apps including Google Play.
Since, as I said, every unit has a unique configuration, it's not possible to recommend any. The device that I bought is not in the market anymore, for example.
The very piece that you buy must play well with your car head unit and everything what is behind. And behind is a lot, managing systems for settings, audio and other customization.
You must be aware, when you connect AA dongle, it cuts every other setting related to its management out.
Therefore, the biggest issue might be that you'll lose calling via Bluetooth functionality. Because callings (and old style sms) goes different way than other features. My dongle does support calling but in limited way, without Assistant support and with custom made phone app, where the contact selection is rather difficult. And the next flaw is that it doesn't get along with my car audio system, therefore woofers are not engaged. The dongle doesn't have an equalizer, and I can't remedy it.
There is noticeable lag when starting apps and with commands, but otherwise there is no lag when running. Music, video and Gmaps function without glitches. Yes, you have YouTube, Netflix and any other video app you might be subscribed to. And video runs well with a decent resolution. You can load apps from store or as a sideload. And you can play local files, stored either in the dongle memory or on USB.
That's my experience, others may have different. You don't have necessary to buy a dongle, you can use an old phone with Android from 8 to 10 as a driver. Because, as you may already guess, your actual phone serves only as a hot spot (wireless and if you're lucky bluetooth too - tethering) to provide a signal for AA dongle.
If you want to buy a dedicated device, select one which has reviews from the users with as much as possible similar circumstances and priorities as you have.

piskr said:
The head unit has to support Android Auto. Then you can choose from a variety of dongles. Even though they have more or less the same chip, they are different. Each producer tries to squeeze the most from the device, and they have a different approach.
Basically, you must avoid those, which don't clearly stated that some version of Android is installed. Without Android you gain nothing, it's only wireless connection - for IOS.
Most of them have Android 9 or 10, though in the last time 11 appears as well. That is really interesting, because with Android 11 you must have AA as a system app in order to trigger it on a head unit. It looks like producers now solve that issue.
And surprisingly, the core you get on the head unit, if everything goes ok, is not Android, it's IOS. In that core you have android apps including Google Play.
Since, as I said, every unit has a unique configuration, it's not possible to recommend any. The device that I bought is not in the market anymore, for example.
The very piece that you buy must play well with your car head unit and everything what is behind. And behind is a lot, managing systems for settings, audio and other customization.
You must be aware, when you connect AA dongle, it cuts every other setting related to its management out.
Therefore, the biggest issue might be that you'll lose calling via Bluetooth functionality. Because callings (and old style sms) goes different way than other features. My dongle does support calling but in limited way, without Assistant support and with custom made phone app, where the contact selection is rather difficult. And the next flaw is that it doesn't get along with my car audio system, therefore woofers are not engaged. The dongle doesn't have an equalizer, and I can't remedy it.
There is noticeable lag when starting apps and with commands, but otherwise there is no lag when running. Music, video and Gmaps function without glitches. Yes, you have YouTube, Netflix and any other video app you might be subscribed to. And video runs well with a decent resolution. You can load apps from store or as a sideload. And you can play local files, stored either in the dongle memory or on USB.
That's my experience, others may have different. You don't have necessary to buy a dongle, you can use an old phone with Android from 8 to 10 as a driver. Because, as you may already guess, your actual phone serves only as a hot spot (wireless and if you're lucky bluetooth too - tethering) to provide a signal for AA dongle.
If you want to buy a dedicated device, select one which has reviews from the users with as much as possible similar circumstances and priorities as you have.
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Thank you for the wealth of information. I Think I will just use my spare phone to run it. Until another solution arises.