All About Apple CarPlay & Android Auto

[Nairrk]

These 3 new CarPlay features are coming to your vehicle later this year

Ahead of the long-anticipated new CarPlay experience coming to some vehicles later this year, Apple has announced exclusive new features that will be available to your car alongside iOS 18.

While all the new features for this upcoming operating system will be announced during the WWDC 2024 keynote, Apple has already unveiled some of the accessibility functions that will be coming to the iPhone, iPad, Apple Vision Pro, and CarPlay.

For CarPlay specifically, Apple has announced three new features: Voice Control, Color Filters, and Sound Recognition. Here’s how they will work.

• Voice Control: With Voice Control, users can navigate CarPlay and control apps with just their voice.
• Sound Recognition: With Sound Recognition, drivers or passengers who are deaf or hard of hearing can turn on alerts to be notified of car horns and sirens.
• Color Filters: For users who are colorblind, Color Filters make the CarPlay interface visually easier to use, with additional visual accessibility features including Bold Text and Large Text.

Of course, Apple has even more to announce for CarPlay with iOS 18. All of the new features will be known during WWDC 2024. However, over the past few years, Cupertino has unveiled the upcoming accessibility features ahead of its Worldwide Developer’s Conference.

Learned that Apple plans several AI features for iOS 18, with major revamps for its built-in apps, such as Notes, Voice Memo, Calendar, Freeform, Safari, and more. We’ll keep covering the latest news regarding Apple’s upcoming software updates as we learn more about them.

And if you want to discover new tips for Apple CarPlay, these are my 8 favorite tricks you probably don’t know about, including how to find your parked car, Focus Mode deep integration, finding EV charging stations, and so much more. Below, you can learn all these tips.

BGR

 

[Nairrk]

Google Cast is coming to Android Automotive and Rivian vehicles, new apps too

As a part of Google I/O 2024, Android Automotive is getting support for Google Cast, new apps, and more.

Launching first on Rivian vehicles – which have not been publically confirmed to be running Android – Google Cast will be rolling out to Android Automotive. This allows users to connect to their car’s WiFi network and cast content from Android and iOS to their car’s display.

We’re also pleased to share that Google Cast is coming to cars with Android Automotive OS, starting with Rivian with more to follow. This allows you to easily cast video content from your phone or tablet directly to the car while parked. If you don’t already offer casting in your app, this is a simple way for your content to reach new audiences in the car.​

A native YouTube app is also coming to Rivian vehicles, and both features will arrive in an OTA update.

https://9to5google.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/05/google-cast-rivian.mp4

Beyond just Cast, new entertainment apps are also coming to Android Automotive.

On “select” vehicles with Google built-in, apps for Max and Peacock will be available to install from the Google Play Store, as will the game Angry Birds. Those should end up being just the first of a new wave of Android Automotive apps, though.

Google is introducing a new set of tiers of app quality for cars. This will allow more apps to work on cars even if they aren’t fully designed for everything a car screen has to offer. “Tier 1,” Google explains, will be “the best of what’s possible in cars” with hardware optimization, support for driving and parked modes, and the ability to use additional instrument clusters and panoramic displays. “Tier 2” supports the main display in a car and can work with parked and driving modes. “Tier 3,” meanwhile, just means the app works in the car, usually only while parked. Effectively, this is just bringing a tablet app to the car’s display. Google will also be proactively reviewing apps that may fit into Tier 3 and making them available for install

Google also announced that there are now over 200 million vehicles on the road using the phone-based Android Auto experience. The Uber Driver app is also now on Android Auto, Google says. The app was announced last year, but has seen a very slow rollout since.

9to5Google

 

[Nairrk]

Google Maps beta crashing in Android Auto

After updating to the latest beta version of Google Maps, some Android Auto users are having issues with mapping in their cars.

According to several forum reports (h/t Artem Russakovskii) today, Google Maps in Android Auto is crashing.

While the rest of the Android Auto experience works, trying to launch Google Maps fails. Other mapping apps, like Waze, continue to work and provide an alternative. Additionally, the Google Maps app on phones is fully functional.

The issue looks to be version 11.132.0100 of Google Maps for Android released on June 3. This problem is impacting Pixel, Samsung, and other phones. Google will presumably release a patch in short order.

There are some reports of stable users also having issues over the past day, but it’s mostly those on the beta.

You can leave the Google Maps beta through the Play Store, and then go to App info > overflow menu > Uninstall updates. Return to Google Play and update to the latest stable version.

9T05google

 

[Nairrk]

Apple Unveils the Next-Generation CarPlay Design System

Apple announced the new-generation CarPlay in 2022 at WWDC, promising to release the first vehicle announcements by the end of 2023. These highly anticipated announcements landed in the last days of 2023 when Porsche and Aston Martin confirmed the adoption of CarPlay 2.0 on MY 2024 models.

Everyone expected Apple to share more information on the new-generation CarPlay, including new carmakers that will adopt the system, at this week's WWDC.

This didn't happen. Apple was all about AI this time, with CarPlay receiving no stage time. Fortunately, the company still shared more information about the updated CarPlay experience, providing us with an early look at how the system can adapt to each screen size, aspect ratio, and configuration in new-generation cars.

The next-generation CarPlay design system highlights how customizable Apple's new experience can be, with the iPhone maker specifically targeting automakers, system developers, and people involved in designing car infotainment experiences.

The company's purpose is to convince carmakers that CarPlay 2.0 is worth investing in, as it allows them to "express your vehicle's character and brand." This is only possible with advanced customization options that can be applied to every component, including gauges, layouts, widgets, and dynamic content running on CarPlay.

The customization freedom is part of Apple's strategy to bring the new CarPlay experience to as many cars as possible.

Instead of enforcing a single design, as it currently happens with the existing CarPlay version, Apple allows carmakers to retain their brand identity with a custom interface compromising different layouts and gauge designs. This means that despite running the same software, two cars from different brands could sport distinct looks. However, Apple retains its design language, so if you're already part of the Apple ecosystem, telling the new CarPlay apart from native vehicle software or other operating systems should be easy.

Google uses the same approach for Android Automotive, where carmakers have the freedom of customizing the look and feel of the operating system. Android Automotive's presence in the car space keeps expanding, whereas Apple is still in the early planning phase, with no model available for purchase with CarPlay 2.0 on board.

The new CarPlay will use all displays on the dashboard, not just the infotainment screen, as is the case with the existing version. It'll also be able to display information on the instrument cluster, and thanks to the customization freedom, carmakers can tweak the gauge design and choose what information they want to display to drivers.

In one example, Apple shows a CarPlay UI that includes the current speed, the driving mode, the mileage, and current trip information. The infotainment screen can display the standard CarPlay interface, including the navigation app, a music streaming service, and essential vehicle controls. A passenger display can be customized for additional data, including a calendar widget with upcoming appointments and weather forecasts for a configured location.

While Apple is committed to providing carmakers with all the resources they need to bring CarPlay to their vehicles, the company still has to resolve one major challenge.

Compared to Android Automotive, which can be used independently from the mobile device and comes pre-loaded with the vehicle hardware, CarPlay 2.0 will require an iPhone to run. This means carmakers will have to invest heavily into adapting the new-generation CarPlay experience instead of their own software without being sure what percentage of their customer base would use it.

Because the experience is limited to Apple users, and Android users will also buy cars, carmakers face a difficult decision.

Eventually, this strategy could lead to low CarPlay 2.0 adoption, especially if carmakers determine that investing in adding support in their vehicles isn't worth the money, work, and time – in this exact order.

Apple has remained tight-lipped on the CarPlay adoption, so the video below is the only closer look we get at the upgraded experience. The company is definitely running out of time, and its questionable strategy could cause major adoption problems in the long term. I expect Apple to discuss CarPlay in detail in September at the iPhone 16 launch event, when the company could also announce that new carmakers are adopting the improved experience.

Autoevolution

 

[Nairrk]

Apple’s new CarPlay infotainment system will go wireless only

Apple’s next generation of CarPlay is on the way and one of the headline features will be a completely wireless connection to the infotainment system.

The tech giant will need to work with automakers to smooth out upcoming disconnect issues that will arise due to the new wireless-only format, but what else do we know?

An upgraded CarPlay had been mooted for quite some time without any specific updates materializing but at the recent Worldwide Developers Conference 2024, more information was disclosed.

Billed as “the ultimate iPhone experience for the car”, the upgrade is set to include “designs for each car maker” to fit your vehicle brand and model best. This is a crucial point, as reported by The Verge, reflecting an important development issue for the new feature.

Automakers, like Mercedez-Benz, were understandably reluctant to allow Apple to “get between” them and their customer for a key component inside the vehicle. As described in the report “the result is an approach to CarPlay that’s much less ‘Apple runs your car’ and much more ‘Apple built a design toolkit for automakers to use however they want’.”

We are not yet at the stage where the full specifications or capability of CarPlay are known, but there will be adaptability and perhaps restrictions for what each manufacturer has in mind for the in-car system.

Apple’s new “punch-through UI” enables brands to design their interface together with other controls over CarPlay, and the ability to toggle between both. At WWDC, Apple made it clear the automakers would retain significant control over how things would look, as reflected in the two videos from the conference detailing current intentions for CarPlay’s design and build.

The new UI will also be able to match what the various auto brands want to provide, such as HVAC controls, reverse camera displays, and more.

Apple has plenty of big hitters on its side, with the likes of Ford and Porsche in agreement for the inclusion of dedicated infotainment systems like CarPlay in this instance. Audi, Aston Martin, and Chevrolet are also on the list but it is not all good news.

Tesla and General Motors are among some heavyweight brands that are pushing ahead with their own plans and dashboards that will disable CarPlay as well as Android Auto. This is not a shock, but another symptom of the friction between big tech and the automakers in the battle for control.

readwrite

 

[Nairrk]

Android Auto updates seem to have broken connections for some users

The latest Android Auto updates seem to be causing connection issues for some users, with even wired connections not working properly.

Over the past few weeks, it’s been noted by more than a few Android Auto users that their connection simply isn’t working. The issue has been reported by users both on Google’s forums and on Reddit, with it being traced back to recent updates, but not any one particular version.

The change has been sudden, and without much rhyme or reason. It seems to affect mostly wired users, but there are also reports of problems with wireless connections too.

Connection troubles aren’t uncommon in the Android Auto community, especially seeing as there are a ton of different factors at play, but this latest wave seems a bit larger than most, hinting that recent Android Auto updates are the culprit.

We’re seeing Android Auto versions 11.7, 11.8, and 11.9 mentioned frequently throughout these reports. Those are the most widely available versions of Android Auto at the moment, but the latest version is 12.2. For many, simply checking for updates might end up doing the trick. However, given the lack of consistency in this wave of reports, it may end up being more complicated than that. The issue seems to trace back to updates on Google’s end between the end of May and mid-June.

9to5google

 

[Nairrk]

Apple is making CarPlay more accessible with iOS 18: How to use them and other details

Apple releases the iOS 18 developer update at its WWDC 2024 keynote on June 10, with lots of new incremental upgrades for its major operating systems such as watchOS, macOS, iPadOS, and more. However, the latest iOS 18 update also includes a handful of new features for Apple’s car software, CarPlay, which went unnoticed.

These new features include Voice control, Colour Filters, and Sound Recognition. There are also some visual upgrades, which are labeled as accessibility features. However, you might be unsure how to use these new iOS 18 features for CarPlay in your car. Here’s how to use them.

Voice Control

The Voice Control features let drivers navigate through the CarPlay interface and control the native apps using their voice. To access this feature on your CarPlay infotainment system, follow these steps:

Open the Settings app.
Now, head to the accessibility section, and under the Physical and Motor section locate Voice Control.

After that turn it on. It will now display a new mic icon on your phone and CarPlay system.
That’s it. Voice Control is now enabled on your vehicle. You can try custom commands like ‘Open Music,’ ‘Close Maps,’ and more.

Sound Recognition

Sound Recognition is provided in CarPlay to provide notifications for driving-related sounds, such as car horns and sirens. This feature can be especially beneficial to drivers who want to listen to all app notifications, without losing focus on the road. Here’s how to enable it:

Go to the Settings app.

Next, go to the Sounds section.

Here you will three different options to change the silent mode settings.
You can now choose to turn on or off Silent Mode and your iPhone will automatically follow these settings.

Colour Filters

Apple has also added some visual enhancements such as Colour Filters to CarPlay. This feature can help drivers with colour blindness to differentiate colours on the CarPlay interface. It can be enabled from the Settings app and users have the choice to choose from four different colour filters.

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[Nairrk]

Wireless Android Auto adapters FAQ – Motorola MA1, AAWireless, more

Wireless Android Auto is incredibly convenient, but it’s still relatively rare to find this feature built into your vehicle. However, a simple wireless Android Auto adapter makes it incredibly easy to add the functionality — here are some of the biggest questions about the products.

What is a wireless Android Auto adapter?
Android Auto is typically used in a wired form, with a cable connecting your car to your phone. That connection slowly charges your phone while transmitting data over to the car to project Android Auto on the infotainment display. Wired Android Auto has become commonplace in virtually every new vehicle, but its wireless counterpart very much has not.

As such, a trend has emerged to offer adapters that can take over a car’s USB port and connect to your phone wirelessly. This was originally done through unofficial means, but Google has actually officially licensed at least one product to support the functionality.

Motorola MA1, AAWireless, Carsifi — What’s the difference?
There are currently three adapters that can add wireless Android Auto to your car. The first one that was released was AAWireless, which is developed by a small team and was brought to the market on the back of crowdfunding. The simple adapter has a detachable cable that connects to your car and projects wireless Android Auto to your car. It has a companion app that can deliver firmware updates, assist with pairing, and make more advanced tweaks to the experience if you opt to do so. AAWireless is the jack-of-all-trades in this comparison, offering a simple setup with more under the hood.

AAWireless is available at Amazon for $74.99, though it’s often discounted.

Later in 2024, AAWireless 2 will be released with updated hardware and a button that makes it easier to switch between users.

The Motorola MA1, meanwhile, is the only product officially licensed to deliver wireless Android Auto to vehicles. It has a built-in USB-A connection and works without any apps. Just pair over Bluetooth and the rest is handled as if you were wired to the car. The focus of the product is simplicity, a goal it certainly reaches.

MA1 has been incredibly popular among customers. In its early days, it was often hard to find in stock, but it’s now pretty easy to find. Amazon sells it and regularly on discount. Alternatively, Best Buy offers the dongle, also occasionally on sale, but you can buy it in local stores.

There’s also another wireless Android Auto adapter that was born out of crowdfunding, Carsifi. This dongle is similar to AAWireless in that it has a companion app for advanced functions and updates, but has one stand-out feature in a quick switch button that allows you to easily switch the phone that the dongle connects to.

We’ve used Carsifi, and it’s a solid option, but you can only buy it through the company’s website, and it costs $90, making it one of the most expensive options on the market.

There are many other wireless Android Auto adapters beyond these, too. Ottocast is a popular option for using both Android Auto and CarPlay, for example. There are also many cheap third-party options that actually work surprisingly well.

Wireless Android Auto adapter FAQs

Will these adapters add Android Auto to my car?
One of the biggest questions we often see about wireless Android Auto adapters is if they will add Android Auto to a vehicle that didn’t already have it.

Sadly, the answer to that is no. Your car must have the wired version of Android Auto, whether officially through the built-in infotainment system or through a head unit, to enable the connection wirelessly. These adapters only ditch the cable requirement.

Will my phone work with a wireless Android Auto adapter?
Generally speaking, the vast majority of phones released in the past three to four years will work with a wireless Android Auto adapter. The exact requirements are as follows:

• Google Pixel or Samsung Galaxy device with Android 10 or higher
• Select Samsung Galaxy devices running Android 9.0 or higher (Galaxy S8, Note 8)
• Any Android smartphone running Android 11 or higher
• All devices need 5GHz (Direct) Wi-Fi support

What if my connection drops?
One of the most common issues with any form of wireless Android Auto is a loss of connection, but thankfully these are easy to fix. As we outlined in our post about how to use wireless Android Auto, some troubleshooting steps may include:

If you notice that Android Auto isn’t connecting to your car, despite your phone already being paired, simply turn Bluetooth off and then back on again. Generally speaking, the phone and car will quickly reestablish their connection and things will be back in working order. Of course, your results may vary. Other troubleshooting steps may include:

• Rebooting your phone
• Turning off Bluetooth and turn it back on
• Toggling Airplane mode for a few seconds
• Forgetting your car’s Bluetooth pairing and re-pairing your phone

In the case of a wireless Android Auto adapter, another surefire troubleshooting step is to simply unplug and plug back in the adapter. That restarts the pairing process.

Some owners of wireless Android Auto adapters have also noted that connections will tend to drop in certain areas. These devices do use 5GHz Wi-Fi Direct to transfer data between your phone and the adapter, so interference is certainly possible in some areas, though we wouldn’t say it’s particularly likely or common for most uses.

How do I know if a wireless Android Auto adapter will work in my car?
As mentioned, compatibility with wireless Android Auto adapters is generally pretty universal. If your car already has wired Android Auto, a wireless adapter will probably work. But, thankfully, there’s actually a compatibility test available.

AAWireless offers a compatibility test that lets you check your car model against the company’s database to see if there are any potential issues that may arise.

Is it normal for my phone to get hot while using Android Auto?
As mentioned, Android Auto adapters use Wi-Fi to transfer data from the adapter to the phone without any wires. Just like a mobile hotspot, this can result in your phone getting particularly warm while using an adapter. This is completely normal and, generally speaking, safe. However, if you live in a warm climate or have an especially hot day, it would be smart to ensure your phone is in reach of the AC or keep it shielded from direct sunlight.

Can I use an Android Auto adapter with multiple phones?
Yes! Most wireless Android Auto adapters are more than up to the task of connecting to multiple smartphones. Motorola MA1 and AAWireless can both remember multiple devices but will connect to whatever they’ve most recently paired with. If you have two paired devices in the car at the same time, you’ll want to turn off Bluetooth on the one you don’t want to connect to.

Carsifi, meanwhile, is designed with a button that can toggle between previously paired phones. AAWireless 2 will offer similar functionality when it releases later in 2024.

Are there any adapters for both Android Auto and CarPlay?
Yes, there are some adapters that work with both platforms. AAWireless is testing this functionality in beta, while Ottocast offers support for both platforms too. While we’ve noted some odd behavior with Ottocast when using Android Auto in our testing, it does live up to its promise of working with both platforms.

9to5google

 

[Nairrk]

Beeper brings back Android Auto support, improves search, more

Since its launch a few months ago, the new Beeper app for Android has been improving its feature set and squashing bugs. In its latest update, Beeper has revived Android Auto support while also improving search and more.

Beeper, for those unfamiliar, is an app that can bring various chat services into a single place. It can link to WhatsApp, Signal, Twitter/X, and even Google Messages for RCS and put that all in a single app that works across devices. The app is backed by Automattic, the company behind WordPress, which acquired it earlier this year.

In a changelog shared today, Beeper details changes in Beeper for Android v4.12.7. The update started rolling out on July 3 and includes a few key updates.

Firstly, Beeper is once again supporting Android Auto. This was available in the original app, but removed with the big redesign. However, this isn’t full support. There’s support for responding to incoming messages, but not for starting new conversations. Effectively, it just means notifications are available through Android Auto now.

Next up, Beeper says it had made some updates to search. You can filter searches by the messaging service you’re using, a particular attachment type you’re looking for, as well as by the name of the person.

Beeper also now shows Discord and Slack channels properly, with the name of the channel showing up next to chats.

In other recent updates, Beeper has improved showing contact info in other apps as well as offering actions within Beeper, improved performance, fixed a bug that showed a GIF as a video, and started showing images in notifications.

9T05Google

 

[Nairrk]

Android Auto appears to be adding support for controlling your car’s radio

One of the key points of appeal for Android Auto and CarPlay is the ability to control media from music and podcast apps, but both platforms currently ignore the car’s built-in radio. Soon, though, that may change.

About APK Insight: In this “APK Insight” post, we’ve decompiled the latest version of an application that Google uploaded to the Play Store. When we decompile these files (called APKs, in the case of Android apps), we’re able to see various lines of code within that hint at possible future features. Keep in mind that Google may or may not ever ship these features, and our interpretation of what they are may be imperfect. We’ll try to enable those that are closer to being finished, however, to show you how they’ll look in case that they do ship. With that in mind, read on.

As it stands today, Android Auto takes over media control for your car and supports apps and services that play music and podcasts from your smartphone. This might include YouTube Music, Spotify, or others. Some cars will still let you listen to the built-in radio while using Android Auto, but this often requires juggling between Android Auto itself and the car’s native software, which can lead to issues and, at the very least, takes your eyes off of the road for longer.

To help with that, it seems Android Auto is adding support for controlling your car’s radio.

In the latest versions of Android Auto, v12.3 and v12.4, we spotted new strings that hint at support for “Car Radio” controls. This includes switching between AM and FM stations, as well as support for “HD Radio.”

• <string name=”radio_node_am_display_name”>AM</string>
• <string name=”radio_node_dab_display_name”>DAB</string>
• <string name=”radio_node_fm_display_name”>FM</string>
• <string name=”radio_node_fm_hd_display_name”>HD Radio</string>
• <string name=”radio_selection_error”>Radio program not available</string>
• <string name=”radio_service_label”>Car Radio</string>

This functionality isn’t live yet, but we’ll speculate that it might appear as an app, perhaps using the same basic UI as other media apps. Or, like the shortcut that goes back to your car’s software, perhaps it might simply act as a shortcut to the car’s radio interface. That seems less likely, though, especially as it would surely require software updates from car manufacturers.

Whatever the case, the foundation for this functionality is here, and we’ll be keeping a close eye on when it nears release.

Meanwhile, we also noticed that Google has purged many of the strings related to wallpapers. This is likely because, earlier late last year, the company updated Android Auto to copy your phone’s wallpaper, negating any need to have dedicated wallpapers for the car itself.

This update has also tweaked the language on many parts of Android Auto relating to when the connected phone is too hot, now telling users how they can “improve phone performance” through actions such as turning off the display, flashlight, or hotspot, as well as not using a wireless charger.

Android Auto versions 12.3 and 12.4 are currently rolling out through both the stable and beta channels in the Play Store.

9t05google

 

[Nairrk]

Why does Android Auto have new icons?

Android Auto might have suddenly started to look different in your car recently, with icons that have gone square or some other shape. Here’s why that happened.

For years, Android Auto has shown app icons in circular shapes. This uniformed look applied to the app drawer as well as the bottom bar which allows you to quickly jump into your most recently-used apps.

But, recently, those icons have started to look different.

Starting last year, Google launched an Android Auto update which brought support for changing icons in Android Auto to match your phone. It started off with Samsung phones in Android Auto v11.0, and expanded to more devices over time. As of July 2024, the change is widely available to almost all users.

The shape of the icons really just boils down to the smartphone you use. For instance:

• Circular icons for Google Pixel etc
• Squircle icons for Samsung Galaxy
• Square icons with rounded edges for Motorola
• Square icons with sharp edges for Honor, Xiaomi, etc

On most devices, the shape of the icon can’t be changed, but there are some exceptions. If you device supports the ability to manually adjust the icon shape on a system level (not just the homescreen), it may apply that to Android Auto as well, but this often doesn’t work. For example, Motorola supports changing the icon shape on the device, but it doesn’t apply to Android Auto (at least not consistently).

Hopefully, Google will provide a means of changing the icon shape specifically on Android Auto in the future.

9To5google

 

[Nairrk]

Android Auto requirements have been updated, now requires Android 9.0 or higher

Google has a new set of requirements in place for running Android Auto, with users now required to be using smartphones running Android 9.0 or higher.

Android Auto does not have a high set of requirements to run. Generally speaking, you just need a compatible car, a decent USB cable, and a reasonably modern smartphone. Just two years ago, Google supported every smartphone running Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) or higher, but raised the requirements in July 2022 to require Android 8.0 (Oreo) or higher.

Now, the requirements are moving up again.

As of July 2024, Google has updated the relevant support page for Android Auto to officially raise the platform’s requirements to require Android 9.0 or higher. This also comes with the change that the “latest Android Auto app” is no longer required, as the app is a system app on all Android smartphones as of Android 9.0. The official Android Auto website still lists a requirement of Android 8.0 or higher, signaling this is a relatively recent change on Google’s end.

Android Auto Requirements (July 2024)

• An Android phone with Android 9.0 (Pie) or higher and an active data plan.
• A compatible car. Find out if your car or stereo is compatible with Android Auto.
• A high-quality USB cable.

Notably, this shouldn’t have a major impact on users. Android 8.0 (Oreo), according to Google’s distribution chart in Android Studio, is only being used on just over 6% of active devices as of July 2024, and was only on around 8% of devices in 2023.

Last December, we noticed that Google was preparing to cut off older versions of Android from using Auto, but the information available at the time didn’t include any specifics on timing or what version would be required moving forward.

Another important thing to remember is that these are the bare minimum requirements for using Android Auto over a wired connection. If you wish to use the platform wirelessly, Google requires Android 11.0 or higher, or Android 10.0 with select Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy devices.

9To5google

 

[Nairrk]

New Google Maps incident reporting comes to mobile & Android Auto, Waze gets lockscreen navigation

In addition to image safety, Google is rolling out new features to Waze and Maps, like a redesign of incident reporting.

On mobile, the message bubble is replaced by a more prominent orange triangle that opens a larger sheet with bigger buttons. Your color-coded options are: Crash, Slowdown, Police, Mobile speed camera, Construction, Lane closure, Stalled vehicle, and Object on road.

This is rolling out globally now to Google Maps Android and iOS. It’s also coming to Android Auto, CarPlay, and Android Automotive (“cars with Google built-in”).

Meanwhile, Google Maps is adding new destination guidance that will “automatically light up your building and its entrance as you approach it.” This is helpful when visiting new places, while nearby parking lots will also be surfaced. This will be available for Google Maps on Android, Android Auto, Android Automotive, iOS, and CarPlay “in the coming weeks.”

Waze is getting alerts for new camera types, like “speeding, running a red light, using the wrong lane (like bus, HOV or carpool), not wearing a seatbelt, or using phones while driving.”

These alerts serve as a helpful reminder about an area’s traffic rules, so you can make any necessary adjustments. New camera types on Waze are rolling out globally on Android and iOS.

A new traffic events feature will warn when concerts, parades, sporting, and other events impact areas with places that you’ve saved or recently driven through. Waze will send a notification “once the event has started,” with details like the cause, road closures, and real-time traffic conditions. You will be able to share these details with others, with this rolling out globally now on Android and iOS.

Waze will soon let you navigate — with turn-by-turn directions, real-time traffic updates, and hazard alerts — even if your Android phone is locked. This is similar to what’s already possible with Google Maps. This “lock screen navigation” is rolling out globally on Android this month, and coming to iOS in the fall.

9T05google

 

[Nairrk]

Android Auto doesn’t know who you want to call due to voice command bug

Voice commands are a key part of Android Auto, but some users have noticed lately that trying to start a call through Google Assistant isn’t working as it’s supposed to.

Placing a call through Android Auto typically involves pressing a voice command button within the car or saying “Hey Google” followed by the request to call a specific contact. Generally, this works pretty well, with the only hiccup usually being the pronunciation of some names.

Lately, though, some Android Auto users have noticed that voice commands for phone calls have been failing to recognize the request for who to call. After the command is said, Google Assistant spits back a request for the user to reiterate who it is they want to call.

The issue doesn’t seem extremely widespread, but there are quite a few reports from the past few days across Google’s support forums and Reddit as well. The issue mainly affects calls, but seems to happen with text messages for some users too.

The underlying cause here is unclear, but it likely boils down to either a recent Android Auto or Google app update. Reverting the app version might help, but it’s unknown if the issue is server-side. At least one user says that some troubleshooting steps in the Samsung Contacts app from a similar issue affecting users earlier this year seemed to help, but it’s unclear if only Samsung devices are affected – at least one user is experiencing the problem on a Pixel device.

9To5google

 

[Nairrk]

Android Auto adds a new Google Assistant UI during voice interactions, looks like Siri

Google has added a new UI for Assistant on Android Auto that appears during voice interactions, and it looks suspiciously similar to Apple’s Siri.

Recently, Google has updated Android Auto with a new UI for Assistant. This is separate from the UI that appears at the bottom of the screen, which is still available for initial commands. Rather, this new UI appears when Google Assistant is waiting on a reply from you.

In the screenshot below, we asked Google Assistant to find a nearby post office, and the new UI appeared when Assistant asked for which location I wanted to navigate to. It reacts when the Assistant speaks and during my reply, and then goes away when the reply is processed.

It feels just a little reiterative when Google could just keep using the bottom bar, but it’s still a nice design.

That said, it is a little hard to ignore the elephant in the room, which is that this is exactly how Apple shows Siri on CarPlay.

We’re not sure how widely this new UI has rolled out, but we’re seeing it on Android Auto v12.5 on a Galaxy Z Fold 6.

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