All articles tagged with #android auto
Twelve South has released the AirFly Drive, a $39.99 aluminum adapter that converts factory-wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto into wireless connections. The device plugs into a vehicle's USB port, pairs with up to two smartphones, and automatically reconnects upon ignition. It requires no app or account and is compatible with vehicles from 2014 onward.
Twelve South has released the AirFly Drive, a $39.99 aluminum adapter that converts factory-wired CarPlay and Android Auto into a wireless connection. The device plugs into a vehicle's USB port, pairs with up to two phones, and automatically reconnects upon ignition. It requires no app or account and is compatible with vehicles from 2014 onward.
Porsche has released a new generation of its Classic Communication Management Plus (PCCM Plus) system, bringing wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to over 300,000 vehicles from 2009 to 2016. The upgrade features a 7-inch touchscreen that integrates with existing steering wheel controls and instrument clusters, preserving the original interior aesthetic while adding modern connectivity, navigation, and audio features.
Porsche has expanded its Classic Communication Management Plus (PCCM Plus) retrofit program to cover 911, Boxster, and Cayman models from 2009 to 2016. The new double-DIN units feature a 7-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and 4G connectivity. Designed to integrate seamlessly with existing steering wheel controls and instrument clusters, the system aims to modernize older vehicles without altering their interior aesthetics. Available at Porsche Centers, the upgrade includes over-the-air map updates and satellite navigation, though pricing has not yet been disclosed.
Automakers are quietly moving away from Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to take full control of their infotainment systems and the ad revenue they can generate, with estimates up to $625 billion. BMW and other brands are shifting toward in-house software, while Tesla and Rivian continue with their own systems, signaling a potential end to the era of external platform domination.
GM revamps its infotainment with a higher-contrast UI and will integrate Apple CarPlay and Android Auto alongside native apps, signaling a shift away from the prior plan to drop them; the update kicks off in trucks before expanding, while the digest also reports Land Rover using Stellantis for a U.S.-built Defender pickup to dodge the Chicken Tax, Toyota Highlander’s next-generation EV delay pushing into 2027 with the current gas model ending by year-end, BMW adding 3D ADAS visualizations, Waymo planning a Tokyo autonomous taxi launch by 2027, and a costly Fiat 500 restomod in the UK.
GM will debut a split-screen infotainment UI in the 2027 Silverado and Sierra that lets CarPlay and Android Auto run alongside the vehicle’s gauges on a large display, keeping support for gas-powered GM vehicles while exploring more deeply integrated software experiences.
GM is updating the software in its Silverado and Sierra trucks to display CarPlay and Android Auto inside a large picture‑in‑picture card, while keeping GM’s native infotainment for trailering and other controls. The 2027 Silverado 1500 and Sierra 1500 will launch with the new UI later this year for new customers, featuring bigger buttons, smoother transitions, and trailer‑aware navigation; existing owners will keep the older interface. The move marks GM’s return to phone mirroring in its trucks after years of not supporting CarPlay/Android Auto in EVs, aiming to reduce distractions and improve usability on the trucks’ expansive screens.
GM will debut a new in-vehicle infotainment system with the redesigned 2027 Silverado and Sierra, featuring a smartphone-like interface that surfaces key controls, a window-in-window integration for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a major upgrade to the Super Cruise display, as part of a broader shift to a design-led digital experience across its vehicles.
Pixel 11 owners are discovering Rambler, Google's AI-powered voice-to-text feature in Gboard that cleans up speech and eliminates awkward pauses for smoother transcripts. Activated via the mic button with a Gemini icon, Rambler sessions deliver a ready-to-send message after a quick tap, and several users say it's become their favorite new feature. Some fans even hope Rambler lands on Android Auto to enable longer, cleaner dictations while driving.
Google is testing a weather notification system for smaller Android Auto head units, featuring Jimothy the raccoon moving across the music widget to show current conditions; the feature appears in Android Auto beta 17.6.66 but there’s no word on a wide rollout, and it’s not easy to trigger.
Ahead of Android Auto’s major redesign, Google is swapping the app icon from blue to green with rounder corners in version 17.6.663424; there are no functional changes yet, but the overhaul will bring a more fluid UI, widget support, and video playback, with rollout timing not yet announced and the icon already appearing for some users.
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.