Skip to main content

Hyundai allows DIY Android Auto installations from a USB drive

Hyundai began rolling out Android Auto integration on the 2015 Sonata, but while it’s been building cars equipped for the smartphone interface for some time, existing owners may not have the necessary software.

The Korean carmaker is addressing that with a do-it-yourself download option using its new MyHyundai portal. While owners can also have the update done at a dealership, this option might make things more convenient for customers used to updating smartphones wherever, whenever.

Recommended Videos

First, though, owners need to have the right model, and the right phone. Android Auto is only available on 2015 Sonatas equipped with navigation and the eight-inch touchscreen display, which is available on the Sport, Eco, and Limited models. Phones need to run at least Android Lollipop.

Owners looking to download Android Auto also need to create a MyHyundai account, if they haven’t already. This involves submitting a name, e-mail address, zip code, and VIN, then creating a username and password. The whole process is explained in a video posted on Hyundai’s YouTube channel.

Once all of that is done, owners have to log onto the MyHyundai website and download the software onto a USB drive. That then gets plugged into the car’s onboard port, and a download is initiated through the dashboard touchscreen. Note too that all this needs to be done with the engine running.

There’s also a companion Android Auto app for the phone, which gets downloaded from the car to the device via micro USB. Once the software is enabled on both car and phone, Android Auto is ready to go.

Android Auto projects Android-specific content from a connected phone onto a car’s infotainment system, allowing users to access phone functions using the car’s built-in displays and controls. Several carmakers have signed on to offer Android Auto (and its Apple rival, CarPlay), but Hyundai claims to be the first to put a car on sale with the system.

As software takes an increasingly important role in vehicle functions, it’s beginning to affect even how manufacturers deal with defects and changes.

Tesla issues over-the-air updates whenever it has something new, while Ford perhaps started the trend of mailing out USB drives when it launched an infotainment update a few years ago. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is currently undertaking a similar campaign in the wake of a hacking scandal.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Your next smartwatch could be more powerful than you were expecting
An exploded view of a Qualcomm smartwatch

Qualcomm is tipped to be creating a new, dedicated smartwatch chip to create more powerful and longer lasting wearables, codenamed SW6100 or ‘Aspena’, highlighting a renewed interest in the space.

The chips will reportedly use a 1x Arm Cortex-A78 + 4x Arm Cortex-A55 CPU configuration for the CPU, a huge increase in power from previous versions.Why this matters: The news, revealed by Android Authority, means we’re set to get faster and longer-lasting user experience as smartwatches pack in more sensors and greater ability to be used independently from your phone.

Read more
World’s first Qi2.2 wireless power bank unlocks 25W magnetic charging speeds
UNGREEN QI2.2 Power Bank

Why it matters: As smartphones like the iPhone 16 and Galaxy S25 push charging speeds higher, Qi2's evolution to 2.2 promises up to 50W wireless power—cutting charge times and heat— but adoption has been sluggish, leaving users stuck with slower 15W Qi2 tech. This new power bank could kickstart the upgrade wave for on-the-go charging.

The news: UGREEN has come out with the world's first Qi 2.2-certified wireless power bank, the MagFlow Magnetic Power Bank. This 10,000mAh beast delivers 25W magnetic wireless charging, a built-in USB-C cable for wired options, an extra USB-C port for multi-device juicing, and a slick side display for battery status. It's backward-compatible with current Qi2 devices but shines with stronger magnets and efficiency tweaks for future-proofing.

Read more
See if the new Nothing Phone 3 bends or breaks in this durability test
The Nothing Phone 3 being bent in a durability test.

Marketed by Nothing as its first true flagship (though some beg to differ on this point), the Nothing Phone 3 garnered a lot of interest when it officially launched at the start of this month.

Of course, it wasn’t long before the new $799 handset fell into the hands of popular tech YouTuber Zack Nelson (he of JerryRigEverything), who took no time at all in putting it through its paces in his carefully designed and very unscientific durability test.

Read more