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Android Auto Is Getting a Split-Screen Mode Similar to CarPlay’s Dashboard

Google is believed to be working on a major interface update for Android Auto, and the latest beta build released to testers provides us with a closer look at these plans.
Android Auto split-screen mode 6 photos
Photo: AndroidWorld
Android Auto interfaceAndroid Auto interfaceAndroid Auto interfaceAndroid Auto interfaceAndroid Auto interface
Codenamed Coolwalk, the overhaul has previously been spotted in 2021, but at that point, the work was still in the early phases.

But as spotted recently by Italian blog AndroidWorld, Android Auto 7.3 beta comes with several improvements on this front, including an early look at an all-new split-screen mode.

Supposed to be available on all displays (not just on those with widescreen resolutions), the split-screen UI powered by Coolwalk will more or less allow for a model similar to the dashboard currently available on CarPlay.

In other words, Android Auto will display several apps running side by side, and screenshots published by the cited source show Google Maps, Spotify, and weather information on the same screen. Just like CarPlay, Android Auto uses cards or widgets for the whole thing, with the navigation app getting the largest version.

The status bar at the top of the screen seems to be gone, and the dynamic bar at the bottom has also received a series of small refinements to look more modern.

However, it’s pretty clear that the big star of this show will be this new mode allowing for multiple apps to be displayed on the same screen. Interacting with the running apps is obviously possible, so you can play and pause the music and move the map in Google Maps, just like you’d do when the navigation is in focus on the entire screen.

At this point, all these improvements are still part of the beta builds of Android Auto, so it’s not yet clear when they could make their way to the production channel. The latest major Android Auto overhaul was released in July 2019, so maybe Google plans to roll the new update for all users in the summer.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
Bogdan Popa profile photo

Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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