Car USB ports do more than charge phones, ZDNET says

ZDNET's Chris Bayer says the USB ports in modern vehicles are “seriously underrated” and can be used for more than just charging phones. The article notes that USB ports first appeared in cars widely in the mid-2000s — about 3.3 million cars sold in 2005 included at least one USB port — and that more than 200 million vehicles now have embedded USB-A outlets, with many newer models offering USB-C and some vehicles providing as many as nine ports.

Ports are commonly located on front and rear consoles and sometimes in the glove compartment or center console. Bayer outlines several practical uses: charging (though many USB ports only supply about 0.5 to 1 amp), playing music from phones or USB sticks (which often require FAT32 or NTFS formatting and audio files in MP3, AAC or OGG), and installing firmware updates from a USB drive when over‑the‑air updates are not available.

He advises using a vehicle’s 12‑volt port for higher power needs — many 12‑volt sockets are rated at about 10 amps — and notes inexpensive car chargers with both USB-A and USB-C ports can cost under $15. The article also highlights advantages of wired connections for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto — greater stability, higher audio fidelity and reduced interference compared with wireless connections — and mentions accessory uses such as powering LED strip lights through USB adapters in the 12‑volt socket.

Key Topics

Tech, Usb Ports, Usb-c, Usb-a, Apple Carplay, Android Auto