How each connection works
Wired CarPlay runs over the USB cable: the phone is detected when plugged in, the connection is as stable as the cable, and the phone charges while it drives the display. Wireless CarPlay uses Bluetooth only for the handshake; the session itself runs over WiFi between phone and head unit (or adapter), and starts automatically when the car starts, with the phone still in a pocket or bag.
The real differences
Convenience: wireless wins outright for short trips — the majority of driving — because there is no plug-in step to skip. Charging: wired wins; a wireless session drains the phone, so long trips still end with a cable or a charging pad. Latency: a good wired link is marginally more responsive; in practice, modern wireless implementations are close enough that most drivers notice only with audio sync in video playback. Reliability: wired fails by cable wear; wireless fails by pairing state — a forgotten network or a phone that has paired to another car. Both are manageable; they are different failure modes, not a hierarchy.
Three ways to get wireless
Buy a head unit with wireless CarPlay built in — the AUROADOR vehicle-specific range is described by the brand as sharing wireless CarPlay across its models. Keep a factory system that has wired CarPlay and add an adapter that converts it to wireless — the route for cars whose factory screen the owner wants to keep. Or use a portable screen, which pairs with the phone without touching the dashboard at all.
Who should stay wired
Drivers who always charge in the car, fleets standardising on one behaviour across drivers, and anyone whose phone runs hot on wireless projection in summer. The honest answer is that the cable was never the problem for them — and a wireless adapter in the glovebox is a cheap option to keep.