Google’s Android Auto app detects bad USB cables

• Android Auto update has added a diagnostic feature.
• This tool helps to check if USB or port is working fine.
• A support page provides helpful recommendations regarding getting the right cable.

Recent Android Auto update has added a diagnostic feature that allows users to check if their USB or port is functioning as expected, The Verge reported.

If the phone is not connecting to the car or another device, for example, the tool can identify whether the USB connection is the issue or not.

Images that former XDA Developers editor-in-chief Mishaal Rehman shared on Twitter show that the tool is called "USB Startup Diagnostics".

A support page provides helpful recommendations regarding getting the right cable.

That is not an easy task, however. There is a wide range of USB cables available over the counter which makes it difficult to find a compatible one that supports Android Auto. 

It cannot be assumed that the cable that comes with the phone will work with Android Auto. However, the tool does help in figuring out whether you need a different cable.