Android Auto is getting simpler to setup

Android Auto (AA) is still a developing space and it’s mostly loved by those who are already in the ecosystem. There are a few issues though which are being steadily addressed by the development team at Google.

We’ve seen additional features added such as speed limits, automatically triggered commute information and wireless connection for users. Now, we’re seeing the rollout of a revamped settings menu to simplify the setup of Android Auto for your vehicle.

As a starting point, inside the settings menu, users will see the new graphics that depict the interface that was updated late last year. The change starts with an easier connection to the vehicle with a single tap –> follow the bouncing ball menu.

The menu system is pretty comprehensive in Android Auto allowing users to change and tweak a lot of settings. One change that is particularly useful, especially if you’ve got a number of apps installed, is to customise your launcher. What this does is allow you to only show the apps you use as a preference within the one-touch menu in the vehicle.

If you choose to enable developer mode, you’ve also got a lot more options to play with. The update seems to be pretty widely rolled out with everyone I’ve spoken to already seeing the changes.

It is worth noting that if you’re spending a lot of time in your car that not all apps are Android Auto compatible. Perhaps more importantly, not all apps you’d expect to work actually work either eg. I’m using Google Messages Beta (I know, Beta isn’t always fully functional) where I’ll get notifications but if I try to have Assistant read them I get “this app is not supported”.

For now, AA continues to develop – What would you like to see next to make AA even better for users?