Don't buy Huawei phones if you use Android Auto

Startled? We have got a lot to say, read on:

Recently, we stumbled upon a thread on the official Android Auto (AA) help forum, where a couple of Huawei Mate 10 Pro users were chiming that all they can see on the car’s head unit is either a black screen or a grayed out AA option (the latter can be seen in the following user shared screenshot).

So we thought of digging in deep, and in look out for more info, we found the flagship device does have issues with Android Auto. However, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. We were astounded to learn that Android Auto issues with Huawei phones is an ongoing matter since 2016.

Yes, we know Google addressed the issue at the company’s official Android Auto User Community saying:

Huawei has a fix for the problem on many of their devices, and is working with different carriers to test and roll out those fixes. (Feb,2017)

Later on, Huawei also confirmed the same in an email while reverting back to one of the users. Here’s what they said:

Huawei is currently working on providing a fix to this issue. Unfortunately we don’t have official information regarding when the issue will be solved.
In the meantime, please make sure that your device is up to date (by checking in Settings > Updater or in the HiCare app.
Also, the release of Android 7.0 Nougat has already started. It is released in batches, so check the HiCare App from time to time and make sure the updates are set to automatic (Settings > Updater).
(Feb, 2017)

With all that said in February last year, did the promised fix actually reach those affected?

Sadly no. Huawei users never stopped complaining about their unit’s incompatibility with Android Auto, and continue to do so till date. Only a few lucky ones received the fix that the company mentioned in their response.

Also, a long list of incompatible devices can be seen on this XDA thread discussing the same issue:

Huawei P8, Huawei P8 Lite, Huawei P9, Huawei P9 Lite, Huawei P9 Plus, Huawei P10, Huawei P10 Lite, Huawei P10 Plus, Huawei Mate 8, Huawei Mate 9, Huawei Mate 9 Pro, Huawei Mate 10, Huawei Mate 10 Lite, Huawei Mate 10 Pro, Honor 6, Honor 6X, Honor 7X, Honor 8, Honor 9

Your device not in the list? Feel lucky if so.

What makes the problem worth highlighting?

It’s even more surprising that Huawei’s late 2017 flagships, the Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro, are also in the league of troubled devices. Both phones arrived just a few months back (in November), and since then reports can be seen across different help forums, with users clearly disappointed for not being able to access Android Auto in their cars.

Here’s how some of the affected users word the issue:

Just a heads up for people that are looking out how to solve the issues with Huawei/honor phones with Android auto: Allthough this issue has been reported as early as 2016, this is still not solved. The newest models of both Honor and Huawei with Android Oreo still suffer from the same issue.

I’ve been using Android Auto in my 2016 Holden Spark for the last 12 months with my Samsung Galaxy S7 and I’ve come to rely on it and I’m self employed so I need to take phone calls often and I use the navigation for getting around to clients homes. I just upgraded my phone to a Huawei mate 10 today and went to use it this evening in the car and when I plugged it in the monitor in the car went completely black. Android Auto opened on my phone display but I couldn’t hear anything. I used it with the cord which came with my Huawei mate 10, not another random cord. Please tell me that this is going to be fixed soon?

It’s really incredible that this issue has not been fixed yet. I have issues too with my Huawei Mate 10 Pro and Android Auto. It’s supposed to be a “flagship” device and it doesn’t work with Android Auto. Wtf?

I’ve got also a Opel Astra K and have several issues with the Mate 10 Pro, connected with the OEM cable..

Despite a factory reset (I originally cloned data from my Honor 7 with Phone Clone app), i have sometimes soft resets when I connect the phone to my car, with a message “No compatible application.. “. Some other times, I’ve got a black screen.

One Mate 10 Pro user also shared a video showcasing the issue:

If you read Huawei’s email response again (highlighted in the beginning of this story), they were working on a fix to address the matter back in February 2017. While a few units did get the fix, it’s beyond us why the fix hasn’t been made available to other affected units. And what about their latest flagships? Why didn’t they release their new high-end devices with fix included?

On one hand Huawei is proudly showcasing the AI capabilities of its smartphones when it comes to driving cars, while on the other and the same phones aren’t compatible with one of the most popular in-car infotainment systems in the market currently. Clearly, it seems to be a case of misplaced priorities.

Have you also been experiencing Android Auto issues with your Huawei device? If so, drop in a comment, and let us know your experience.

Note: One of the experts (Top Contributors on Android Auto User Community) explained how a bad driver/encoder (which only Huawei can fix) is causing these issues. To access the detailed explanation, head here

Stay connected with us on Twitter (@PiunikaWeb) to hear about all related developments as and when they occur