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How Google Can Improve One of Its Top Android Auto Features

Google rolled out a massive Android Auto overhaul last summer, and this update included a dynamic bar at the bottom of the screen whose buttons change depending on what you do in the app.
The dynamic bar adapts to what you're doing in AA 1 photo
Photo: Google
For example, part of this dynamic bar changes to show music playback controls, navigation instructions, and other useful information from the apps running in Android Auto.

And while I personally find it pretty useful, especially for the music controls which no longer require me to launch Spotify to pause the playback or skip to the next song, there’s no doubt there’s still room for improvements – as a matter of fact, while I can control Spotify using the steering wheel controls, on-screen buttons are still useful, especially when the car is not in motion and for whoever is on the front passenger’s seat.

One way this app bar at the bottom of the screen can be improved is an auto-hide option, much like how the whole thing works on Windows 10 with the taskbar. You should be able to trigger the app bar with a swipe-up gesture, and when no further input is detected, it can go away automatically.

A transparency effect that would provide the app with a see-through effect would also come in handy, as this way Google can allow users to make the most of the available screen estate without having to hide the bar. Basically, such a customization option would allow users to see behind the bottom bar, which in apps like Google Maps, this approach would be more than welcome.

And of course, one of the easiest ways to make the navigation bar less intrusive is to actually reduce its dimensions. A smaller app bar would eat up less space on the screen, thus leaving more room for other apps.

The downside of all options that would come down to hiding the navigation bar comes down to touch input. An extra tap would be required to bring the bar back on the screen, and given it’s a driving app we’re talking about here, this can only increase distraction in some cases.

At the end of the day, Google has the know-how to further refine the navigation bar and make it even more useful for all users out there. But in the meantime, there are lots of things that Google needs to improve about Android Auto, and general stability and reliability would be a good place to start.
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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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