Residents of Boston are getting frustrated with areas that disconnect their Apple Carplay, and Android Auto, from their cars. This isn’t data from phone to cellphone tower, but the wireless connection between the phone and your car’s infotainment system, interference that disrupts and can disconnect the phone.
Axios has managed to put together a map based on crowdsourced reports that identifies four main areas. This isn’t a Boston-specific problem; it’s likely you’re reading this as you identify with the issue, but Boston is pointing to a major source, and your Corolla isn’t the problem.
Why Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Disconnect
Before we go on, it’s worth explaining how these services work. CarPlay and Auto are projection software, meaning you’re seeing your phone on the screen through a different user interface. When you use wireless CarPlay or Auto, the phone is using the car’s Wi-Fi network, not Bluetooth, to connect the phone and the infotainment screen. The phone then uses its data connection to provide, say, music streaming or navigation. Effectively, the phone is the middleman that relies on two wireless connections.
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The connection between phone and car should be strong, as the car’s router and the phone are right next to each other. If that connection is momentarily interrupted, then you can experience short drops. If it’s interrupted for too long, then the phone needs to rejoin the Wi-Fi network again. This is what people are experiencing, which means there’s a huge amount of interference in these areas to fully disconnect the two while in such proximity. It would be like your phone or laptop being disconnected from your home Wi-Fi by interference. It would take an incredibly powerful source.
Boston’s Theory For The Common Issue
CarPlay and your car work using the 2.4 GHz bands, the same as most modern routers in homes. However, the bands are unregulated, so anyone can operate equipment using them – it’s even used for radio-controlled cars. The big theory for one of the Boston deadspots is that one of the universities is using a point-to-point microwave transmitter operated on the 2.4GHz band.
A point-to-point microwave transmitter is a powerful piece of kit that can transmit data anywhere from a few feet to several miles, and is mostly used where fast data transfer is needed but a fiber connection is not practical. Sometimes they are used by corporations and universities to link buildings on a campus.
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That is possible, but point-to-point microwave transmitters are used all over the place. It’s used in cellular networks and by internet providers for linking and backhauling, and sometimes even when connecting outside broadcasts to TV studios. If you, like us, have experienced interference or a full disconnection from Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, it’s likely due to a communications network node you’re passing.
The Solution To Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Interference
The only way this kind of interference could be avoided would be by using a different band. Home routers often use the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands now with the WiFi 6 protocol, so that’s a possibility. The latest and incoming protocol, WiFi 7, works across three bands, adding 6 GHz to the mix.
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Sticking solely with 2.4 GHz must be a cost-saving thing for automakers at this point, because as wireless CarPlay and Auto users know, it’s not particularly reliable. The 5GHz spectrum is newer and less frequently used, but sooner or later, it will be. If there’s a specific spot on your morning commute, the best bet is to just plug your phone in.
Source: TheDrive
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