Wireless CarPlay & Android Auto Explained: Bluetooth vs. WiFi & The “Lag” Truth

A diagram showing a smartphone connecting to a car dashboard, illustrating the "Handshake" via Bluetooth and the "Data Stream" via WiFi.

If you have upgraded to a wireless CarPlay or Android Auto adapter, you might have noticed a pattern: Most drivers assume these adapters use Bluetooth to stream music and maps. They do not. Bluetooth is simply too slow and weak to handle the massive data stream required for real-time navigation and high-quality audio. This guide