AUTONEWS

New Android Auto is now available for everyone

We would like to shout out FINALLY, after many months of announcements, leaks and recent testing on users belonging to the development program, the changed Android Auto will be released on all phones. Google took advantage of CES 2023 to announce this great news.

What the new Android Auto looks like... We already know almost everything about the new Android Auto. The first mentions of the Coolwalk update surfaced in 2021, but Google has changed a lot in that time and it's gotten better for the better. The final version of the new design was ready around October 2022, and beta testing on a wider group of users began in November. Taking advantage of the CES fair, the giant finally decided it was time to make available to everyone the new look, which supposedly started yesterday. As usual with Google, the new interface will roll out gradually on subsequent smartphones thanks to a server-side switch. The Android Auto app you have on your phone is probably ready for this (last official version is dated Dec 1, 2022).

What makes the new Android Auto such a big change? Firstly, the layout of the main screen has changed drastically. On the left side, closer to the driver, the map is displayed, and additional applications, such as a music player, can be found on the right side, closer to the passenger. At the bottom we find a bar with the most frequently used applications, which did not exist before. There we have access to maps, music player, telephone and message center. The list of these apps will likely be editable, so they don't necessarily have to be Google Maps and YouTube Music. The notification center, time and phone battery information have been moved to the right corner, and on the left we have a shortcut to the Google assistant and a list of all applications. The whole thing also lives up to the assumptions of Material UI and looks really cool.

For many drivers, especially newer cars, it's also important that Android Auto is able to adapt to any screen, regardless of its size and aspect ratio. In the case of ultra-wide displays, the map area will be larger, and the apps and notifications bar will be moved to the left side, closer to the driver. The whole thing is very well thought out and visually refined. You can also see a lot of inspiration from Apple Car Play, but it's pretty hard to fault it. Android Auto certainly becomes more functional as a result.

However, visual changes are not everything. Now Google Assistant also has a bigger role, which can suggest a change of route, a new podcast or propose a callback in case we have missed a call. You will also be able to make voice calls using the WhatsApp application. I don't know about you, but I'm going to check today if the new design is available in my house, and I will definitely share my impressions.

by Kamil Pieczonka