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Google Killed Off Android Auto for Phones and Its Replacement Is a Huge Pain in the Neck

Google retired Android Auto for phones last year, with the company telling users to switch to the driving mode that comes bundled with Google Assistant.
Google's new driving mode 17 photos
Photo: Google
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The driving mode has been developed from the very beginning with Google Maps at the core of the entire experience, therefore trying to offer the essential capabilities, including navigation, at a one-tap distance.

In many ways, the driving mode is supposed to be an evolved version of Android Auto for phones, but on the other hand, many users out there claim it all feels like a major downgrade.

A discussion thread on Google’s forums ended up becoming the home of users’ complaints regarding the new driving mode.

The problems that are reported here concern not only the driving mode itself but also the interaction with Google Maps, as someone says the full app is launched whenever they want to start the navigation. Re-launching the driving mode involves activating the assistant once again, at which point the navigation goes away.

Others claim the driving mode itself is only working properly at random times. Someone explains that unless they unpair the phone from the car, they can’t get audio guidance from Google Maps while driving.

In other words, Google’s big replacement for Android Auto for phone screens is more of a letdown for some people out there. But, unfortunately, nobody can tell for sure if the company is at least working on resolving all these problems.

In the meantime, there’s not much all these users can do other than run the full Google Maps app instead of the driving mode itself. This can obviously be just a temporary solution if the search giant eventually comes up with a fix. But still, given no information has been offered so far, you’d better not hold your breath for all these problems to be addressed anytime soon.
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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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