Your new Galaxy S24 might not play nicely with Android Auto in some cars

Ben Schoon | Feb 2 2024 - 8:15 am PT

Android Auto is quite literally a reason to buy a car for many folks, but Samsung’s new Galaxy S24 series is apparently having some early issues with the platform.

As detailed on a support page in the UK, Samsung acknowledges that Android Auto on the Galaxy S24 series is currently having some issues. In select cars, Android Auto fails to connect or stay connected.

The affected vehicles include various models from Volkswagen, Skoda, and SEAT.

According to Samsung, the issue here comes down to the vehicle itself, not the phone or Google’s software. The three carmakers are apparently working on software updates to fix the problem.

Samsung explains:

Some users have reported that they are unable to use Android Auto to connect their Galaxy S24 to their Volkswagen, Skoda, or SEAT cars. If you are experiencing this issue, try the steps below.

If none of these steps resolve your issue, please contact your Volkswagen, Skoda, or SEAT customer centre or service centre. These manufacturers have confirmed that they are working on software updates for the affected vehicles.

The support page also goes into some troubleshooting steps regarding these issues. These steps include double-checking your car’s settings for anything that might prevent an Android Auto connection, as well as trying a different USB cable, updating the Android Auto app on your device, or checking for system updates on the Galaxy S24 (none have been released just yet).

On Volkswagen in particular, Samsung notes that the problem surrounds IP addresses are assigned through Android hotspots and that Volkswagen’s system isn’t fully compatible with that. An update may already be available from dealers to fix the problem, though.

There is a compatibility issue with hotspot connections between some Volkswagen vehicles and some Android OS models. This is due to a change in how IP addresses for hotspots have been assigned since Android OS 11 (Current system OS 14).

Right now, there’s no word on other car brands that might be affected in other countries, but it’s not uncommon for Samsung devices to have issues with Android Auto. There were problems shortly after the launch of last year’s Galaxy S23 series, and Samsung’s recent Android 14 update also caused some headaches for users with Android Auto.