If you’re unable to jam out on your commute, you aren’t alone
While plenty of drivers are celebrating the long-delayed launch of Android Auto’s latest redesign, some Pixel owners are facing a new set of headaches. After the arrival of January’s security patch earlier this week, some users are finding it impossible to connect or stay connected to their car’s entertainment system over Bluetooth.
Over the last two days, reports from Pixel owners have flooded Twitter and Reddit as they’ve struggled to use their devices while driving. It’s a curious bug, as users have complained about the inability to pair with their vehicles while simultaneously using other Bluetooth gadgets — like headphones — with no problem. According to these reports, it’s an issue primarily facing devices running on Tensor chips, like the Pixel 6 series and Pixel 7 series. It’s also not affecting every car manufacturer; Kia and Hyundai are the primary examples given, but Toyota, Honda, and Infiniti are among the mentioned brands.
Among Android Police staff, we’ve also seen some issues. AP’s Rajesh Pandey experienced his Pixel 7 constantly disconnecting from his Toyota-made car today after updating to January’s patch. On the other hand, my Pixel 7 was able to pair with my Chevy Colorado without any issues, adding some credence to the theory that not all car manufacturers are affected. AP’s Ara Wagoner also faced no issues in her 2018 Honda, despite it being an affected brand.
It’s a confounding bug, and not just because it only seems to impact certain vehicles. Other users with cars manufactured by those brands above have chimed in to note they’ve had no issues whatsoever, including owners of a 2012 Hyundai and a 2015 Kia. Still, considering the number of drivers suddenly experiencing connection drops after updating their Pixels to this week’s patch, it seems likely that the update is at least a partial cause.
We’ve reached out to Google for comment and will update our coverage when we hear back. For now, if you’re a driver who relies on Bluetooth for navigation or music in their car, we’d recommend holding off on installing January’s patch if you haven’t already, just to be safe. If you’re currently experiencing issues pairing with your vehicle, some commenters on Reddit have seen success syncing with FM adapters or other Bluetooth receivers. You may be able to restore audio in your car through either of those devices — or, for that matter, through a built-in aux input.
