So I seem to have figured this out. It’s not the phone, it’s not the cable, it’s not even which USB-C I plug the cable into. It’s all to do with what’s plugged into the other USB-C, and the order in which things are plugged in. None of this, of course, is explained in any of the manuals I have downloaded and searched…
If there is anything that reads data plugged into one of the USB-Cs, e.g. my 32GB pen drive with music on, then Android Auto (AA) will not connect.
If I plug the phone into the car before pressing the start button in the car, AA will not connect.
If however, the other USB port is empty, then I can use either USB port to plug the phone cable into, and provided that I plug the phone in AFTER I’ve started the car’s electrics, AA will connect.
If, once AA is connected, I want to use the pen drive as well, then that appears to work if it is plugged in last of all.
Interestingly, coming from an ND1 in which I used Mazda AIO Tweaks to hack the old infotainment system to use AA on that, the new infotainment system is just as laggy as the old one. Progress, hey?
What a faff. In my other car, a 2018 model, everything AA just works no matter what’s plugged in where and in whichever order I decide to connect things.
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