All articles tagged with #android auto
Google will remove Assistant from Android phones, tablets, WearOS watches, and related devices starting September 4, 2026 as it shifts to Gemini; legacy Assistant remains on older Android versions with limited RAM, and cars with Google built-ins stay supported, with Gemini available via the Play Store to switch over.
Google will remove access to Google Assistant on Android phones and tablets, along with paired devices like Wear OS watches, headphones, and cars running Android Auto, starting September 4, 2026, with the rollout expected to take a few weeks. In regions where Gemini is available, users will have only the AI-enabled assistant. Google Home and Google TV are unaffected for now. The Verge is seeking official confirmation as the change moves Android’s voice assistant into the “Gemini or nothing” era.
An open-source app called Headunit Revived lets you repurpose an old Android or Amazon Fire tablet into an Android Auto head unit for your car. Install the app (about $4 on Google Play; APK from GitHub; $4.70 on Amazon Appstore), run through the setup (orientation, screen size, and automation options), then connect your phone via USB or wirelessly using Wi‑Fi Direct with Wireless Helper. Once paired, you get Android Auto apps like Google Maps and Spotify on the tablet, with various mounting options available for installation.
Google is widening the server-side rollout of two long-awaited Android Auto features—Immersive Navigation and a built-in live speedometer—so more users (including those on stable Maps builds) can benefit from richer guidance and current-speed display, though availability still varies by region and device and doesn’t require a new app version.
Android Auto hides a developer menu that can be accessed quickly, giving options like a wireless toggle and an Unknown Sources switch to allow non‑Play Store apps on the car display, plus features to force video resolution. While useful for power users to gain more control, some options (e.g., saving video/audio or microphone input) can strain the phone and aren’t meant for everyday use; for many drivers, enabling wireless and Unknown Sources offers practical benefits without official endorsement.
Google Maps on Android Auto is adding a live speedometer—a long-awaited feature already available on phones and CarPlay. The rollout is server-side and limited to a small number of beta users (Maps version 26.29.02.946673643), with the speed readout shown beside the speed limit and changes color when you exceed it. While not universally available yet, this marks Android Auto’s move toward feature parity with rival in-car navigation as Google expands Maps upgrades.
Google Maps’ Immersive Navigation, the platform’s biggest visual upgrade in a decade, has started rolling out to Android Auto. The update adds 3D buildings, translucent outlines, lane markings, and clearer cues for entrances and ramps, plus improved voice guidance to help drivers anticipate turns and confusing junctions, making navigation easier in dense urban areas.
Google Maps’ Immersive Navigation UI—featuring 3D buildings, flyovers, and clearer off-ramps—is reportedly rolling out to Android Auto. The rollout appears to be server-side and not tied to a specific app version, with some users seeing the UI after Android Auto v17.3. Availability so far is US-centric, and a global rollout date remains unconfirmed.
A tech writer shares five Android Auto settings that boost in-car usability: enable Taskbar widgets to show mini controls (music or maps) in the taskbar; customize the launcher to reorder or hide apps; swap the home screen layout so media controls sit closer to the driver; disable auto-start of last-played media so you choose what to listen to; and use Gemini actions to chain multi-step tasks (like navigating home, adjusting climate, turning on lights, and playing a playlist).
Android Auto officially limits compatible apps, but a guide shows you can sideload third‑party apps using AAAD by enabling Developer Mode, allowing unknown sources, and installing the AAAD APK from GitHub (Pro version unlocks unlimited downloads). This can bring apps like CarStream, AAMirror, and Fermata Auto to your car’s display, plus browser or screen mirroring capabilities, but Google frequently patches this workaround, device compatibility varies, and there are safety concerns and potential legal issues with video or browsing while driving.
Google Play Store v52.1 promises faster performance across Android devices—phones, tablets, Android Auto/Automotive, Google TV, and Wear OS—while improving memory usage and adding AI-generated content labeling for listings and a new in-game video discovery experience with PiP. Google also teased an AI sidekick for games. Updates can be obtained by updating Google Play services, checking for system updates, or updating the Play Store from the store page.
Nintendo Music updates to version 1.6.0, adding iPad support, CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, Siri-based track search, and a new web browser version; the patch is rolling out on iOS and Android.
Rivian's Chief Software Officer argues that AI-powered, agent-like infotainment will replace traditional app mirroring—reducing reliance on CarPlay/Android Auto and giving automakers tighter control and new monetization paths—though the tech isn't ready and consumer adoption remains uncertain.
Android Auto is rolling out beta support for multiple swipeable media cards on the dashboard, letting you swipe between active audio apps (like Spotify and YouTube Music) without reopening them; the feature (in beta version 17.0.162144-release.daily) keeps several recent sessions as separate cards, with broader availability expected soon.
ZDNET summarizes Google's I/O Android Auto reveal: a refreshed three-panel, Material You–inspired UI, immersive Maps navigation, self-generated widgets, and Gemini AI capable of car-specific controls and multimodal queries like identifying landmarks. The update aims to make driving more contextual and hands-free, with rollout later this year and varying availability by vehicle, as illustrated by a Volvo EX60 demo.