Wireless charging of mobile phones in the car will no longer be a nightmare. Thanks to Qi 2.1

Two years after the introduction of the second version of the Qi 2 wireless charging standard at CES in January 2023, we saw its first update – Qi 2.1 – at the same venue this year. The main novelties include a movable charging coil that automatically adapts to the position of the device and thus ensures fast and efficient charging.

Application mainly in cars

One of the main focuses of Qi2 is the use of magnets to precisely place the phone on the charger. Perfect alignment means more efficient charging, which is a win-win. However, Apple still mainly relies on magnets, and you wouldn’t find them on Androids, even on flagships. However, the new Qi 2 “extension” also opens up support for chargers that adjust to the phone’s position by moving the coil instead of having to search for the perfect spot to place it.

This new element was developed by Panasonic Automotive Systems (PAS) with automotive applications in mind. Specifically, it is suitable for vehicles that have a wireless charger in the center console. The idea is to allow users to place the phone anywhere on the pad and let the coil automatically find the ideal position to charge the device efficiently. While this is not usually needed at home, it can be very useful in the car.

Wireless iPhone charging in the car

How does it work?

The charger sends out a small pulse to find the phone and then uses a “detection array” to determine the location of the coils. Once the position is determined, the charging coil moves to the correct position and charging begins. PAS’s moving coil technology uses a proprietary algorithm that automatically detects the device’s coil and aligns it with the charger’s coil, increasing alignment accuracy when charging. This leads to optimal alignment of the coils between the smartphone and the wireless charger, ensuring highly efficient fast charging with up to 15W.

Qi Ready expands compatibility

Although the moving charging coil is the main innovation in Qi 2.1, it is not the only one. The update also brought support for Qi Ready, which allows combining different devices and accessories compatible with the Qi 2 standard. This means that devices marked as “Qi2 Ready” can work with different Qi 2 accessories. This expands the possibility of wireless charging, for example in the automotive sector, where greater flexibility and compatibility are required.