Car Bluetooth Isn’t Working On Pixels With January’s Security Patch

(CTN News) – While many drivers are celebrating the long-awaited launch of Android Bluetooth Auto’s latest redesign, some Pixel owners are experiencing a new set of difficulties.

Some users have experienced problems connecting or remaining connected to their car’s entertainment system over Bluetooth following the release of January’s security patch earlier this week.

Over the past two days, reports from Pixel owners have flooded Twitter and Reddit as they have been unable to use their devices while driving.

Users have reported that they are unable to pair their vehicles with their devices while simultaneously using other Bluetooth devices – such as headphones – without experiencing any difficulty.

According to these reports, the issue is primarily affecting devices running Tensor chips, such as the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 series.

As well, it is not affecting every car manufacturer; Kia and Hyundai are the primary examples given, but Toyota, Honda, and Infiniti are also mentioned.

Among the Android Police staff, we have also encountered some issues. As a result of updating to January’s patch, AP’s Rajesh Pandey reported he had trouble connecting his Pixel 7 to his Toyota-made automobile.

Nevertheless, my Pixel 7 was able to connect with my Chevy Colorado without any problems, lending some credence to the theory that not all car manufacturers are affected.

In spite of the fact that Honda is one of the affected brands, AP’s Ara Wagoner did not experience any problems with her 2018 Honda.

I find this bug to be confounding, and not just because it seems to affect a limited number of vehicles.

Other users with cars manufactured by those brands have mentioned that they have had no problems whatsoever, including owners of a 2012 Hyundai and a 2015 Kia.

The number of drivers experiencing connection drops after updating their Pixels to this week’s patch, however, suggests that the update is at least partially responsible.

Google has been contacted for comment and we will update our coverage once we receive it.

For now, we recommend holding off on installing January’s patch if you rely on Bluetooth for navigation or music in your vehicle, just to be safe.

It has been reported that some commenters on Reddit have experienced success syncing with FM adapters or other Bluetooth receivers if you are experiencing issues pairing with your vehicle.

Either of these devices, or an aux input built into your car, may be capable of restoring audio in your vehicle.

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