Android Auto only works with random old S8+ cable?

[userY0WwjqC22J]

I was having trouble connecting to Android Auto with my S21 Ultra. I found the cable to my old S8+ and it started working just fine. 

Samsung really needs to fix this. Not everyone has access to old cables. 

[Shui]

I haven't had luck with AA since I got my S21 ultra. I will try to use with old cable. Thx for heads up.

[MrPhotoMoto]

Shouldn't have to use an old cable. However, it needs to be 3 feet. I had a high quality 8 foot cable and it was a disaster.

[DanG92263]

Android Auto is no longer a thing.

https://www.talkandroid.com/376432-android-auto-google-driving-mode/

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/google-takes-down-android-auto-from-phones/article655...

https://www.trustedreviews.com/news/android-auto-for-phones-shut-down-as-google-assistant-driving-mo...

[1i1B]

So how are we supposed to be able to use our phones navigation apps in our cars that don't have a built in navigation? Google driving mode wants you to use your phone as the viewing screen. That's absurd. Last week I could plug my phone into my car & use my phones waze app. Now it won't connect. Google driving mode is dangerous

[bill-e]

Android Auto for Smartphones was just the handset version of Android auto.   If you didn't have a way in the past to display your maps in you car you were using your smartphone.   Either AA,  Google Maps,  Waze etc,  all displayed on your smartphone screen usually clipped to a vent with a phone holder. 

This announcement is simply that they are discontinuing the handset version of Android Auto and replacing it with another Google app.... Nothing's changed as far as how you use the navigation app,  just a different app to use. 

[1i1B]

Thank you for the reply, Bill-e.
I've always been able to connect to my car via AA. My cars screen would display waze from my phone since I didn't have a navigation package built into my car. When android auto would connect, my cars screen would show apps like waze, Spotify, phone contacts, etc.
But as of Saturday, AA won't connect at all. Nothing changed from Friday to Sat, it just stopped connecting. I've never clipped my phone to the vent.
I've got a car that is a year old & a phone that's 4 months, I shouldn't be having this problem.

[bill-e]

Wireless or wired?  Wired comes with the issue of the cable connection failing and causing issues so if it's wired I'd get a new,  short,  quality cable rated for data transmission.

In general you shouldn't but you are so I'd suggest disconnecting it all and reinstalling it as I stated in my post.   That has always worked for me,  your mileage may vary. 

[TheOneAfter909]

AA worked for me until last week. It connects to my car wirelessly, but get a black screen on car display after 10 seconds.

[bill-e]

Sometimes the monthly update does something to the AA connection and it stops working,  the last update did that to me.   Something gets corrupted and it won't work.   In my case,  twice now in 19 months this has happened and I've had to totally delete any reference to my phone in my head unit including removing it from the Projection Manager,  clear the AA data on my phone and delete any Bluetooth connections,  then reinstall the app to the head unit as new.   This has worked for me twice now. 

If that doesn't work for you,  submit an error report to both Samsung and Google.   For Samsung,  Reproduce the issue and then open the Samsung Members app, click on Support (Lower right)->Feedback->Send Error Report,  Remember to check on "Send System Data Log" 

And Google,  https://support.google.com/androidauto/community?hl=en

And lastly,  you should always use the shortest,  high quality cable as you can get away with for AA.