Android Auto has been a mainstay in many vehicles for personal and work benefits for many years now. In that time, there have been a lot of improvements, as well as some presentation changes. Perhaps the biggest, and most functional makeover yet is rolling out.
This will move Android Auto from the interface introduced years ago to a split-screen view. The change allows simultaneous access to your infotainment and navigation, a very welcome change for those who shuffle music a lot. There are also changes in the way that Android Auto presents tasks and communication to users:
Google Assistant now provides smart suggestions including missed call reminders, quick arrival time sharing and instant access to music or podcasts. On-screen shortcuts speed up message replies and calling favorite contacts. Plus, we’re introducing a seekable progress bar for music and podcasts — one of our top requested features — so you can skip ahead in a song or episode. Last but not least, starting with the latest Pixel and Samsung phones, you can soon make calls using WhatsApp with Android Auto.
The update hasn’t yet landed on any of our devices at Ausdroid, suggesting it may be a staged or region-based rollout. Once it does, we’ll be taking a closer look.
