There really isn’t comparing wired to wireless CarPlay or Android Auto, the convenience of wireless takes the win. As long as you have an officially licensed unit from Apple or Google, after set up you literally don’t have to do anything, your phone will connect to your stereo seamlessly.
While BMW first offered wireless CarPlay for their 2017 models and aftermarket companies like Pioneer offered wireless CarPlay and Android Auto in 2018, other OEMs have been slower at adding in wireless functionality.
The general misunderstanding about wireless CarPlay and Android Auto is that you just need a Bluetooth connection, which is partially true it’s also needs another component – Wi-Fi. All CarPlay and Android Auto really is doing is mirroring your phone display onto your car stereo. The amount of data required to do so is way more than what Bluetooth is capable of handling, thus the need to either be connected via USB cable or use Wi-Fi to transmit.
Besides the added cost of needing to have Wi-Fi capabilities in the stereo, OEM’s are probably on 3-4 year production cycle so when 2020 models had been finalized 2016, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android wasn’t really a thing yet.
All that being said, wireless is going to be the standard for CarPlay and Android Auto and if you’re GM fan you’ll be able to get these feature starting in the all new 2021 GM Trailblazer.
