Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/Google
Voice commands in Android Auto have a simple purpose: they let users control everything with the power of their voice, so they won't have to look at the screen while driving.
As a safety feature, voice commands must work correctly all the time. As long-time Android Auto probably figured out the hard way, voice commands misbehave in the most unusual ways, either due to bad Android Auto updates or bugs in the Google app.
The voice command integration in Android Auto is a Google Assistant feature that gets updates via the Google app (like it happens on Android devices).
A bug discovered earlier this month by Android Auto users proves that voice commands need significant improvements in terms of reliability.
Users claim Google Assistant recognizes only part of the call command. While I've seen many users complaining of broken voice commands on Android Auto, this is the first time the call feature works only partially.
Users explain that as long as they don't mention the name of the contact they want to call, Google Assistant initiates the call correctly. If the contact's name is part of the command, Google Assistant asks, "Who would you like to call?" eventually entering a loop that won't end unless the user cancels the request.
Oddly enough, the process works correctly if the user tells Google Assistant to make a call, letting the digital assistant ask for the contact's name.
One of our readers told me the bug appeared after installing Android Auto 9.8, whose stable rollout started earlier this month. Someone on Google's forums confirmed the same behavior in their car but did not reveal the Android Auto version in their post. Android Auto 10 beta, now available for download for registered testers and via the stand-alone APK installer, doesn't include a fix.
A member of the Android Auto team already chimed in and asked for phone logs to diagnose the problem. The issue doesn't look widespread at this point, but considering it appeared earlier this month after installing a recent update, I expect more users to encounter the same problem.
If Android Auto is the culprit, you can downgrade to an earlier release until Google releases a fix. I believe the issue resides in the Google app, as the error affects only the call command.
In the meantime, Google is working around the clock on finalizing Android Auto 10 stable, with the rollout likely to begin later this month. The beta build does not include significant changes, but the company is reportedly testing a new Google Assistant animation when triggering the voice command input. It's unclear if this experiment is somehow related to this new bug encountered by some users after the latest updates.
The voice command integration in Android Auto is a Google Assistant feature that gets updates via the Google app (like it happens on Android devices).
A bug discovered earlier this month by Android Auto users proves that voice commands need significant improvements in terms of reliability.
Users claim Google Assistant recognizes only part of the call command. While I've seen many users complaining of broken voice commands on Android Auto, this is the first time the call feature works only partially.
Users explain that as long as they don't mention the name of the contact they want to call, Google Assistant initiates the call correctly. If the contact's name is part of the command, Google Assistant asks, "Who would you like to call?" eventually entering a loop that won't end unless the user cancels the request.
Oddly enough, the process works correctly if the user tells Google Assistant to make a call, letting the digital assistant ask for the contact's name.
One of our readers told me the bug appeared after installing Android Auto 9.8, whose stable rollout started earlier this month. Someone on Google's forums confirmed the same behavior in their car but did not reveal the Android Auto version in their post. Android Auto 10 beta, now available for download for registered testers and via the stand-alone APK installer, doesn't include a fix.
A member of the Android Auto team already chimed in and asked for phone logs to diagnose the problem. The issue doesn't look widespread at this point, but considering it appeared earlier this month after installing a recent update, I expect more users to encounter the same problem.
If Android Auto is the culprit, you can downgrade to an earlier release until Google releases a fix. I believe the issue resides in the Google app, as the error affects only the call command.
In the meantime, Google is working around the clock on finalizing Android Auto 10 stable, with the rollout likely to begin later this month. The beta build does not include significant changes, but the company is reportedly testing a new Google Assistant animation when triggering the voice command input. It's unclear if this experiment is somehow related to this new bug encountered by some users after the latest updates.
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