Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/Google
Say what you want about new Android versions, but there's a good reason why so many people rush to install them on their devices.
They bring new features and improvements, making the update extremely compelling, even for those who aren't necessarily tech-savvy. However, the rush to update comes with an increased likelihood of bugs, and Android Auto users know this best.
It happened again with Android 14, as Google released the new operating system for Pixel owners, and many decided to update as fast as possible.
The first Android 14 adopters already discovered a slew of Android Auto bugs, and one of them affects the sound. It turns out that the update to Android 14 breaks down the audio on Android Auto, with all apps, including Spotify and Google Maps, losing the sound.
Anyone can imagine that Spotify without sound is useless, and users claim the application seems to work correctly, as the interface shows that the song is still playing. No audio comes through the car's speakers, though, so it's all quiet when driving with Android Auto on an Android 14 device.
The bug also affects Google Maps, everybody's favorite navigation app. Due to this problem, Google Maps no longer offers audio guidance, so the application won't tell users which way to go and where to turn left or right. The only way to use the turn-by-turn guidance is to look at the screen and follow the recommended route, though this means more distraction and more distraction is a big no-no behind the wheel.
The bug isn't currently widespread, but the Android 14 rollout is still in its early days, so I expect more reports signaling this bug or other problems in the car to appear in the coming weeks and months. The issue doesn't seem related to other factors, so the Android Auto version running on the device doesn't make any difference. The most recent build at the time of writing is Android Auto 10.6, now rolling through the Google Play Store, but sideloading this update doesn't restore the sound.
Unfortunately, a workaround is unlikely to exist if the update to Android 14 causes the glitch. The only solution would technically be a downgrade to the previous operating system version, but this isn't something that beginners can do. It's a complex process that only tech-savvy users can perform safely, and I'm pretty sure nobody wants to give up on Android 14 anyway, especially considering all the improvements.
A Community Specialist already stepped in on the Google forums and asked for more information, requesting phone longs to help the Android Auto team look into the matter. However, it's too early to tell when the company could come up with a fix, so users must continue the search for a workaround on their own.
It happened again with Android 14, as Google released the new operating system for Pixel owners, and many decided to update as fast as possible.
The first Android 14 adopters already discovered a slew of Android Auto bugs, and one of them affects the sound. It turns out that the update to Android 14 breaks down the audio on Android Auto, with all apps, including Spotify and Google Maps, losing the sound.
Anyone can imagine that Spotify without sound is useless, and users claim the application seems to work correctly, as the interface shows that the song is still playing. No audio comes through the car's speakers, though, so it's all quiet when driving with Android Auto on an Android 14 device.
The bug also affects Google Maps, everybody's favorite navigation app. Due to this problem, Google Maps no longer offers audio guidance, so the application won't tell users which way to go and where to turn left or right. The only way to use the turn-by-turn guidance is to look at the screen and follow the recommended route, though this means more distraction and more distraction is a big no-no behind the wheel.
The bug isn't currently widespread, but the Android 14 rollout is still in its early days, so I expect more reports signaling this bug or other problems in the car to appear in the coming weeks and months. The issue doesn't seem related to other factors, so the Android Auto version running on the device doesn't make any difference. The most recent build at the time of writing is Android Auto 10.6, now rolling through the Google Play Store, but sideloading this update doesn't restore the sound.
Unfortunately, a workaround is unlikely to exist if the update to Android 14 causes the glitch. The only solution would technically be a downgrade to the previous operating system version, but this isn't something that beginners can do. It's a complex process that only tech-savvy users can perform safely, and I'm pretty sure nobody wants to give up on Android 14 anyway, especially considering all the improvements.
A Community Specialist already stepped in on the Google forums and asked for more information, requesting phone longs to help the Android Auto team look into the matter. However, it's too early to tell when the company could come up with a fix, so users must continue the search for a workaround on their own.
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