Photo: Google
One of the greatest features of Android Auto is the voice command support, which allows you to interact with many of the apps without touch input.
In other words, Google Assistant, which is bundled with Android Auto and is powered by the Google app on your Android device, makes it possible to get directions and control navigation with voice commands when you’re driving.
As some Android Auto users learned the hard way, the experience with voice commands in Android Auto hasn’t been entirely flawless. But when they work, they’re a super-helpful way to interact with Google Maps using nothing more than your voice.
For example, you can ask for directions on your route by simply saying “Next step” after launching Google Assistant with the “OK, Google” command on Android Auto. You can also ask Google Maps “what’s my next turn?” for similar information. More details are available when telling Google Maps to “show the list of directions.”
On the other hand, if you want Google Assistant to provide traffic information generated by Google Maps, you can just ask “How’s the traffic ahead?” if you already configured a route and you’re navigating with the app. Furthermore, if you already configured a home address in Google Maps, you can just ask “How’s traffic to home?” for more details about your way home.
And of course, you can reconfigure your route with a series of commands such as “Avoid tolls” and “Allow tolls,” “Avoid highways” and “Allow highways,” or by simply asking for “Alternate routes.” You can also check for nearby POIs by requesting specific information, such as “Restaurants nearby.”
More information about your destination is provided when you ask Google Assistant “How far is my destination?” or “How long until I get there?”
Needless to say, all these features are only available in the regions and for the languages that are supported by Google Assistant. All necessary apps, including the Google app, must be fully up-to-date.
As some Android Auto users learned the hard way, the experience with voice commands in Android Auto hasn’t been entirely flawless. But when they work, they’re a super-helpful way to interact with Google Maps using nothing more than your voice.
For example, you can ask for directions on your route by simply saying “Next step” after launching Google Assistant with the “OK, Google” command on Android Auto. You can also ask Google Maps “what’s my next turn?” for similar information. More details are available when telling Google Maps to “show the list of directions.”
On the other hand, if you want Google Assistant to provide traffic information generated by Google Maps, you can just ask “How’s the traffic ahead?” if you already configured a route and you’re navigating with the app. Furthermore, if you already configured a home address in Google Maps, you can just ask “How’s traffic to home?” for more details about your way home.
And of course, you can reconfigure your route with a series of commands such as “Avoid tolls” and “Allow tolls,” “Avoid highways” and “Allow highways,” or by simply asking for “Alternate routes.” You can also check for nearby POIs by requesting specific information, such as “Restaurants nearby.”
More information about your destination is provided when you ask Google Assistant “How far is my destination?” or “How long until I get there?”
Needless to say, all these features are only available in the regions and for the languages that are supported by Google Assistant. All necessary apps, including the Google app, must be fully up-to-date.
Google News