All articles tagged with #android auto
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.
Google reveals Wear OS 7’s Wear Widgets, renaming Tiles to Wear Widgets, introduces 2×1 and 2×2 layouts and a Remote Compose framework designed to reduce background activity for better battery life; early partners include Spotify, WhatsApp, Peloton, and Todoist, with backwards compatibility to Wear OS 4+, and plans to bring widgets to Android Auto and Samsung Galaxy Watches via Multi-Info Tiles.
Android Auto can do more than navigation and music. A SlashGear guide highlights four free apps—SpotHero for parking, Audible for audiobooks (with car-friendly mode on mobile), Vivaldi Browser for ad-blocking web browsing on the car display, and GameSnacks for safe, parked-time HTML5 gaming—demonstrating how Android Auto’s utility extends beyond basic apps with the caveat to avoid gaming while driving.
Google announces its biggest Android Auto update in years, featuring an edge-to-edge Maps interface that adapts to any car display, native Gemini AI integration, home screen widgets, Dolby Atmos spatial audio, and Full HD 60fps video streaming (playback allowed only when parked) with a DoorDash in-car ordering option; the rollout begins later this year across multiple brands.
Google’s Android Auto is getting a major refresh that lets maps and widgets fill any car screen shape with edge-to-edge Google Maps and a borderless UI. The update centers on Immersive Navigation 3D view, offering real-time details and the option to pin widgets on top of Maps. It also enables 60fps HD video playback from the phone on supported head units (parked, with audio continuing while driving) and will add Dolby Atmos support soon. Gemini AI will be more tightly integrated for context-aware tasks (e.g., replying to messages, calendar checks, or ordering via Doordash) and will roll out across multiple brands later this year, with BMW, Ford, Genesis, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Renault, Skoda, Tata, and Volvo among early adopters.
Google previews Android 17 with Gemini Intelligence, a broad on-device AI upgrade that can autonomously perform tasks, draw context from the screen, enhance web research and autofill, and add features like Create My Widget and screen reactions; rollout begins this summer on Galaxy and Pixel devices, with Gemini in Chrome arriving in late June and broader integration across wearables, cars, and laptops to follow.
Google’s I/O showcase brings a full-bleed Android Auto UI that adapts to curved and irregular car screens, enables YouTube video streaming in parked mode (4K60 with spatial audio) from the phone, adds Material You Expressive styling, and introduces widget support with Gemini. New AI features include Magic Cue and Gemini acting as a go-between for apps (like Starbucks or DoorDash), plus Maps’ Immersive Navigation for richer in-car visuals, signaling closer integration between phone projections and embedded car systems. HVAC and some car controls still aren’t controllable from Android Auto yet.
Google outlines a Gemini Intelligence–driven Android overhaul for 2026, centered on AI-powered app automation in select apps (food/grocery, ride-hailing), Auto Browse for multi-step web tasks, and AI Autofill, plus Gemini-generated widgets and Rambler voice input. Android Auto gets a redesign with Immersive Navigation, widgets, and broader display support, including video-to-audio transitions in supported cars. Android 17 brings camera improvements, Ultra HDR, stabilization, and Night Mode in Instagram Edits, along with stronger lost-device security, a new location-permission model, and a Pause Point feature. Most changes roll out via Play Services and partnerships rather than a full Android 17 release at once.
Android Auto can be improved with five quick tweaks: stop music from auto-playing when connected; minimize notification distractions by turning off the message chime or removing apps from the Android Auto drawer; prevent Android Auto from starting automatically (no direct setting—use the workaround to disable Start Android Auto while the phone is locked); create shortcuts in Customize Launcher for frequent actions; and enable Taskbar widgets to control playback from the taskbar, so you can stay focused on the road.
Google Maps is bringing native EV route planning to Android Auto, allowing users to select their car make/model to predict battery use, plan charging stops, and set a preferred arrival state of charge. The feature uses AI energy models plus real-time Maps data (traffic, elevation, weather) and auto-updates SOC during a trip, though initial SOC must be entered manually since it doesn’t connect directly to the vehicle. It launches with support for 350 models across at least 15 brands.
The article highlights five lesser-known apps compatible with Android Auto that enhance driving experiences, including Pocket FM for audio stories, Fuelio for fuel expense tracking, VLC for audio playback, Angry Birds 2 for gaming, and EasyPark for parking management, emphasizing their features and benefits.
The PDFriender 2Pad is a prototype 65W car charger that enables full-speed charging while using wired Android Auto and CarPlay, offering a more stable and faster connection compared to wireless adapters, with production expected in 2026 at around €50 ($60).
The Gemini update for Android Auto introduces more detailed responses and interactions, which some drivers find helpful and others find verbose or problematic, leading to mixed reactions and calls for fixes from Google.
Google is working on updates for Android Auto, including potential support for Cast and a redesign of the music player with Material 3 Expressive elements, though no rollout date is confirmed.
Android Auto does not officially support video playback, but users have attempted third-party solutions like CarStream and Fermata Auto, which face compatibility issues with newer Android versions and require workarounds. Overall, watching videos on Android Auto is complicated and not recommended, with better options being to wait for official support or use other methods for audio streaming.