Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
The voice command integration is critical for the experience with Android Auto for one obvious purpose. If you use your voice to interact with apps, the eyes can be on the road the whole time. As such, the distraction is significantly reduced, as drivers no longer have to look at the screen to set up navigation to a desired destination, for instance.
Unfortunately, as with everything else in the Android Auto, voice commands suffer from chronic instability and sometimes break down for no clear reason.
A new bug that appeared earlier this week, seemingly after the installation of a recent Google app update, demonstrates Google must spend more time searching for glitches before giving the green light to a new release for the production channel.
Sending new messages using voice commands on Android Auto seems impossible, despite everything working correctly when replying to a text. In other words, the feature works correctly when you respond to a message but doesn’t when you try sending a new text.
Oddly enough, it looks like Google Assistant correctly processes the command, as it asks the user to dictate the message. It also understands the words but fails to send the message to the selected contact. When the user tries to send the text, Google Assistant asks for the message one more time, thus failing to compute the request.
It all becomes an infinite loop that typically ends with users giving up on their attempt at sending a new message. On the other hand, the whole thing works flawlessly and smoothly when responding to a text, as Google Assistant understands the message and then sends it with no issue whatsoever.
Several users have already confirmed the glitch in posts on Google's forums, but it's too early to tell if this is a widespread problem. Considering the culprit is likely a recent Google app update, we must wait a few more days to tell if everybody is affected. However, the search giant should begin an investigation and release a fix.
In the meantime, if you haven't updated the Google app and everything is still working correctly in your car, you'd better delay the installation of the new version. If the latest version is already running on the device and you struggle with the same glitch, downgrading to the previous Google app build could help restore the correct behavior. Of course, you should also block the automatic update, as your device would then attempt to download and install the latest Google app version in the background.
Android Auto doesn’t seem to be related to the glitch, as the Google app is the one responsible for the blunder this time. As such, you can continue running the latest build without worrying of voice command issues.
A new bug that appeared earlier this week, seemingly after the installation of a recent Google app update, demonstrates Google must spend more time searching for glitches before giving the green light to a new release for the production channel.
Sending new messages using voice commands on Android Auto seems impossible, despite everything working correctly when replying to a text. In other words, the feature works correctly when you respond to a message but doesn’t when you try sending a new text.
Oddly enough, it looks like Google Assistant correctly processes the command, as it asks the user to dictate the message. It also understands the words but fails to send the message to the selected contact. When the user tries to send the text, Google Assistant asks for the message one more time, thus failing to compute the request.
It all becomes an infinite loop that typically ends with users giving up on their attempt at sending a new message. On the other hand, the whole thing works flawlessly and smoothly when responding to a text, as Google Assistant understands the message and then sends it with no issue whatsoever.
Several users have already confirmed the glitch in posts on Google's forums, but it's too early to tell if this is a widespread problem. Considering the culprit is likely a recent Google app update, we must wait a few more days to tell if everybody is affected. However, the search giant should begin an investigation and release a fix.
In the meantime, if you haven't updated the Google app and everything is still working correctly in your car, you'd better delay the installation of the new version. If the latest version is already running on the device and you struggle with the same glitch, downgrading to the previous Google app build could help restore the correct behavior. Of course, you should also block the automatic update, as your device would then attempt to download and install the latest Google app version in the background.
Android Auto doesn’t seem to be related to the glitch, as the Google app is the one responsible for the blunder this time. As such, you can continue running the latest build without worrying of voice command issues.
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