I’ve been lucky enough to have a car that has Android Automotive for the better part of five years, and in that time, it made me realize just how much better Android Auto is for most people despite its problems, bugs, and foibles.
After switching from an ICE vehicle to an EV around 2020, I was in love with the idea of Android Automotive as the core experience. It might now be “Google built-in,” but it’ll always be Automotive to me for what it’s worth.
As much as it was a novel experience and does make your phone feel like an extension of your phone, it’s still limited by how many updates come from carmakers, the visuals, and the integrations, which ultimately limit how seamless it feels. I guess one of the side benefits is that Android Automotive has reminded me of the early days of Android on phones because there are so many variations, shapes, sizes, and connotations. I’m certainly a sucker for that.
The thing is, for 99.9% of people, Android Auto is a better overall experience, and that’s before we get into the potential “hardware obsolescence” question marks with many modern Automotive-powered vehicles. Short story: your phone likely will get more powerful while the processor in your car ages. I had this with the Polestar 2. It ran fine in 2019, but within 18 months, it was a slow, sluggish, crawling mess, and thankfully, Android Auto support arrived to gloss over the poor interface performance.
I hate the idea of the subscription model for many automakers. Your phone just pairs up and does all the heavy lifting. No need to sign in to your car and, at least in theory, have personal information accessible to anyone in the vehicle. My phone can be disconnected easily.
Back to Android Auto, yes, there are issues every now and again. The Gemini rollout was one such change I found a little frustrating. That said, it really is the best in-car entertainment option and nothing else quite comes close.
I still think that Meta needs to fix WhatsApp in cars. It’s too stripped back in an attempt to prioritize safety that it’s cumbersome and arguably more of a distraction because it doesn’t work as well as it could. Luckily, some changes are supposedly on the way, and I’m hopeful that this will at least improve how WhatsApp works in vehicles because right now it’s almost not fit for purpose.
Media apps like YouTube Music need to have better search functionality, akin to the experience on mobile, and better handle searches when you’re behind the wheel.
For starters, Android Auto has a beautiful, siloed experience that is used only in the car. If you don’t know what I mean, then let me explain with a fairly simple example.
If I happen to go to the gym and I’m deep into a YouTube Music workout playlist, as soon as I get back in my car, take off my headphones, and drive away, Android Auto doesn’t continue playing the high-energy playlist. No, it picks up where I left off with a podcast on Pocket Casts that I had been listening to on the drive over.
Now that seems simple, right? Well, the thing is, I have tried CarPlay, and it doesn’t treat itself as a unique experience. Instead, it just continues whatever is playing directly from the phone. Auto doesn’t even start playing if you happen to pause before getting out of the car – or at least it does in my experience.
For me, this is just a touch of what makes it so good.
Take another example in Google Maps. Maps remembers my previous searches or surfaces things I might have searched recently when I hit the road, so I don’t need to fumble to get directions quickly. This feels helpful and alert, a couple of things that are super important when you’re behind the wheel.
It puts the “auto” in Android Auto in the best ways.
Now there are various opinions on Gemini in cars, and I’m not discounting anyone’s negative experiences. The good news is that it is improving drastically. I will hand on heart say that I, personally, have been a big fan of the transition over from the static Google Assistant.
I love being able to have a conversation about things while driving because, whether it’s undiagnosed ADHD, I find myself desperate to learn about Walking Dead lore or get into a dialogue about who is the most decorated Italian footballer. This is something I have loved. Some may loathe this and never use it. Heck, the ability to ask for reminders on my drive or directions to the best-rated coffee shop in an area I’m unfamiliar with is so clutch.
We’re reaching a stage where you no longer need to even carry a key to drive your car. I tend to just leave my house with no wallet, keys (save my house key), and I’m fully covered. You could argue that puts an unecessary over reliance on your phone, but when I know my car is just an extension of that, how could I complain?
This is more of a complaint aimed directly at Google – if you’re reading, guys – please can we start to see more updated UI in the portrait orientation? I, like I’m sure most Volvo guys, have an in-car head unit that is basically a portrait-oriented tablet slapped right on the dash. I love seeing, reading, and testing the new Android Auto features when they’re demoed, but you insist on showing these with the kinds of screens that most cars probably won’t get or will visually differ from.
I think there’s a bit of a disconnect from those using Android Auto on smaller form factors over the massive sprawling new dashboards of the latest XC90 or whatever demo car is being used when new functions are being showcased. Vertical head units also feel like an afterthought, as do many of the third-party options people fit manually.
Fairly minor complaints aside, I’m genuinely excited to be able to finally use YouTube while parked, and that many quality of life changes are arriving faster. If we can get more integrations, further Gemini enhancement, and deeper connectivity with the vehicles, then there’s no reason Android Auto can’t keep getting better and better – and it promises to be with yet more coming over the next few months.
I doubt I’ll switch away any time soon. As far as I’m concerned, it’s simply the best in-car experience on the road.
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