Dec 27, 2025
3 min read
As important as Android Auto and CarPlay have become in everyday driving, the main problem remains.Wired connections charge your phone slowly and wireless drains your battery quickly.This is where PDFriender comes in as a clever little solution.
"PDFriender 2Pad" is a 65W car charger at its core, it plugs into your car's power port and charges your phone at the full speed you can expect from any car charger.What makes this special is that, along with full speed charging, it lets you use Android Auto and wired CarPlay.
The first of the two USB-C ports is the one that connects the phone, the second is used to connect to the car.
When both are in use, the signal from your car is transferred from one port to the other, only in combination with fast charging.It's a simple idea, but one that has yet to be explored.
In order, when I used it in the first prototype, it is very good.I've only managed to pay full-time dolls - I have to make it aside Android is too much and awareness is too busy if you're using an iPhone.The company plans to call me USB-PD.
Also, the little faces hidden in the design are very cute.
However, there are clear questions. That's why you need something like this with a wireless adapter for Android Auto or CarPlay.
Personally, I was a big fan of the adapters in the last few years, to the point where it almost feels a little weird to plug in my phone while driving.But there are some noticeable advantages to this kind of experience.Over the normal wired experience, an adapter than this means you go from charging in a climb to a quick top-up.But compared to a wireless adapter, you also take a little strain of your device.A dedicated quick charger, but since wireless connections inevitably make your device run hot, combining that with quick charging just makes matters worse.
That's the real benefit, making the whole experience less stressful.Another advantage I noticed was that it connected much faster than wireless adapters.They work great, don't get me wrong, but I had forgotten how fast Android Auto and CarPlay can be until I got back to test this.Wired also eliminates the occasional hiccups you'll have with wireless.
For now, "PDFriender 2Pad" is just a prototype and will go into production sometime in 2026.From what I understand, the goal is to launch it at about the same price as a typical wireless adapter, which is likely to cost around €50 ($60) or more initially.Prototypes, for example, lack an indication of which port is used for what.They are not interchangeable, the left is for connecting to your phone and the right is for connecting to your car.
If you are interested in such a device, you can register your interest on the company's website.Meanwhile, the same basic technology is present in the TreePod, a product from the same company that acts as an intermediary between your phone, your car and a dedicated car charger.The final functionality is not much different, but it is definitely not as elegant as the "2Pad".
what do you think
More about Android Auto:
- Android Auto Update Tips on Cast Support, Device Music Player Design [Image Gallery]
- Gemini is everywhere now, but Android Auto is the first place I've really been sold on it
- Android Auto adds new Google Maps EV filter for charging speed, payment methods
Latela Ben: Twitter / X, Threads, Bluesky, Instagram
FTC: We use affiliate links that earn automatic income.more.
