Listed here are my 7 favourite Android Auto options

When Android Auto first debuted in 2015, it was simply OK. It was good having the ability to entry your Android apps and telephone controls proper out of your automotive’s show, however it was anemic in options and solely labored on one automotive mannequin (though many extra supported fashions adopted). There have been additionally loads of Android Auto bugs to cope with. Ten years later, although, Android Auto has turn out to be rather more sturdy. At present, it’s a killer Android characteristic and has turn out to be important to my driving life. I don’t assume I might ever personal a automotive with out it.

Whereas most individuals know concerning the basic items you are able to do with Android Auto — use Maps or Waze for navigation, take heed to music, reply to messages, and many others. — there are some things that make utilizing the system a lot simpler and extra pleasant than it was previously. I wish to give seven of these Android Auto options a bit of love right here!

Typically, one of the best options aren’t revolutionary. As an alternative, they simplify a routine that may usually be convoluted. That’s exactly the case when creating navigation instructions from Google Calendar occasions.

When Android Auto first rolled out, Google Calendar wasn’t even supported. This made navigating to the deal with saved in an occasion a multi-step course of: open Calendar in your telephone, discover the deal with, after which manually enter it into Maps or Waze via Android Auto. Even when Google did roll out Calendar assist in Android Auto, you’d nonetheless must enter the deal with info manually (or use voice instructions).

At present, although, you don’t must do any of that nonsense. Simply open the Calendar app on Android Auto, faucet the occasion, and increase: you’re navigating to the occasion’s location via your app of selection.

After all, this requires the right deal with info to be saved inside that Calendar entry. I’ve merely gotten into the behavior of including that data each time I make an occasion, particularly as a result of I do know Future Me will significantly recognize Previous Me doing so. I’ve even toyed with the thought of making a separate Calendar only for Android Auto functions, however that appears a bit like extreme group, even for me.

On my Subaru Crosstrek, there’s a button on the steering wheel for issuing voice instructions to the automotive’s software program. This button is, by itself, ineffective. The voice instructions you may give to the automotive are fairly restricted, and it’s essential to be completely exact along with your syntax, or issues will go very fallacious. This isn’t stunning as a result of Subaru is a automotive firm, not a software program firm.

Fortunately, my telephone takes over this button when Android Auto is energetic, making it a extremely efficient method to provoke Google Assistant voice instructions. Certain, I might simply say, “Hey Google,” however that doesn’t usually work after I’m enjoying music manner too loudly. I might additionally attain over to the on-display Assistant button, however that’s not almost as secure and handy because the tactile button proper on the steering wheel.

I definitely haven’t been in each automotive ever made, however I’ve discovered this works on most makes and fashions with a voice button on the steering wheel, not simply Subaru Crosstreks. Now, if solely automotive makers would cease losing their time and sources making an attempt to make their very own voice assistants and simply hand the reins over to Google.

Previous to 2023, if you related your telephone to your automotive and initiated Android Auto, you would not use Google Maps in your telephone. This was for security causes: Google didn’t need you fumbling along with your telephone whereas driving, so it compelled you to make use of the Android Auto model of Maps completely.

Whereas its intentions have been pure, Google’s limitation was terrible in follow. Utilizing Maps in your automotive’s show is okay if you recognize the place you wish to go, however when you don’t, it isn’t excellent. On highway journeys with my associate, we often obtain Google Maps knowledge for the realm surrounding our vacation spot, so we are able to at all times discover eating places, foolish vacationer traps, and different enjoyable stuff on our route, even with out knowledge service. Nevertheless, with this Google Maps limitation, trying to find something whereas driving meant she would wish to disconnect my telephone from Android Auto, shortly use the complete model of Maps to determine the place we must always navigate to, after which reconnect. Foolish.

In 2023, although, Google lastly eliminated this limitation. Now, my associate can simply seize my telephone and discover the following relaxation cease or fuel station whereas I proceed to drive safely. After all, nothing is stopping me from utilizing my telephone whereas driving now, however you recognize what? That’s on me. Google doesn’t must police individuals. If individuals are going to place themselves and others in hurt’s manner, blocking Maps from use whereas driving (and thus punishing individuals who wish to use that characteristic safely) isn’t going to alter that.

Android 10, which launched in 2019, lastly launched a system-wide darkish mode. Android Auto, although, didn’t obtain its personal darkish mode possibility till a bit later that yr. In the meantime, Google Maps didn’t obtain a darkish mode in Android Auto till months after that, so it hasn’t been that lengthy since a Google Maps darkish mode has been out there in Android Auto.

These days, I can’t think about utilizing Google Maps in Android Auto with out darkish mode. I’ve it activated 100% of the time as a result of, with out it, my automotive’s show is actually blinding, particularly at evening. It’s merely not secure to have a vivid, almost all-white mild shining in your face whereas driving at nighttime.

Now, each time I get a brand new telephone, one of many first issues I do is join it to Android Auto and completely set Google Maps in darkish mode. I ponder why I even want to try this — for my part, darkish mode must be the default for Maps on Android Auto for the security causes I simply talked about. Till then, although, I’m simply blissful I not want to make use of mild mode like I did earlier than 2020.

As this text makes clear, Google hasn’t at all times began with one of the best techniques proper out of the gate. A notable exception is the quantity management setup inside Android Auto. There has by no means been a time when one quantity flip managed each Google Assistant’s voice and your media participant quantity. They’ve at all times been separate.

I’m so glad Google made this selection. Once I’m listening to music manner too loudly within the automotive, the very last thing I would like is for Google Assistant to come back in on the identical overbearing quantity to inform me I’ve a proper flip arising. I like that I can set a quantity for my music and set a quantity for Google Assistant individually.

The one grievance I’ve right here is that there’s no manner to do that preemptively. I want to attend till Assistant is speaking after which modify the quantity. Then, when it’s carried out speaking, modify the quantity of the music (learn: crank it). It might be good if I might do that forward of time or set a common possibility (Assistant ought to at all times be 75% as loud as media, or one thing like that). Nonetheless, it is a minor inconvenience. I’m simply glad I’m not caught with one quantity management for each.

At Google I/O in 2022, Google introduced the “Coolwalk” redesign of Android Auto. This launched a split-screen perform that most individuals use to maintain their navigation map on one aspect and their media participant on the opposite, which is sensible. Nevertheless, Coolwalk additionally launched app shortcuts, which I’ve at all times known as a taskbar as a result of its similarity to different taskbars.

Regardless, these app shortcuts present your 4 most up-to-date apps. Until you cowl them up along with your media participant, the icons are at all times there. This lets you shortly soar to any certainly one of these apps while not having to open up the app drawer and discover them, which might be harmful to do when you’re actively driving.

For me, I solely actually ever use 4 apps: Google Maps, Plexamp, Google Calendar, and the telephone app. Having these 4 app shortcuts means I virtually by no means must open the app drawer. Actually, I don’t understand how I used Android Auto comfortably earlier than the Coolwalk replace.

As talked about earlier, just one automotive was supported when Android Auto first launched: the 2015 Hyundai Sonata. You additionally wanted a telephone operating Android 5.0 Lollipop, the most recent Android model on the time. This severely restricted the adoption of Android Auto.

At present, although, Android Auto works on almost any Android telephone and with all kinds of vehicles. At this level, you would get into just about any automotive made previously 5 years and discover Android Auto inside (together with Apple’s equal for iPhones, often called CarPlay). As a man who travels fairly a bit, I like that I can hire a automotive and be comparatively assured it would assist Android Auto.

Sadly, this broad assist isn’t prone to final. Some automotive producers have already rejected each Android Auto and CarPlay, most famously Tesla. In 2023, Basic Motors additionally introduced its intentions to section out assist. Automotive producers want to subscription fashions to generate extra income, and what higher method to get extra money out of shoppers than to cost them for a system that does what Android Auto already does without spending a dime? Ultimately, it wouldn’t shock me if each automotive producer presents their very own Android Auto-esque techniques that don’t work as properly, aren’t up to date as usually, and price you $9.99 monthly or one thing.

Till then, although, I’m so blissful I can get into most autos, plug in my telephone (or use the wonderful AA Wi-fi TWO for common wi-fi assist), and have the identical on-display expertise I get in my very own automotive. I don’t know why any firm would wish to mess with that stage of comfort for its prospects, however I suppose that’s why I don’t work within the automotive trade.

What’s your favourite Android Auto characteristic? Is there one we missed right here? Tell us within the feedback!