Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/Google
The Android Auto app ecosystem keeps growing, and after opening the doors to IoT software, Google is now working on another big update on this front.
The company has just revealed that it's planning to improve the productivity side of Android Auto with the addition of collaboration and communication solutions. Microsoft, Cisco, and Zoom are the first partners on this front, with their solutions to launch on Android Auto shortly.
Microsoft Teams already offers Android Auto support, allowing users to join calls right from their head units. Webex by Cisco and Zoom will soon support the same capabilities on Android Auto.
Google hasn't provided a specific ETA, but the new apps will most likely go live for Android Auto users by the end of the summer.
Obviously, you shouldn’t expect to join video calls using Microsoft Teams and Zoom. The apps will only support audio calls, as drivers must keep their eyes on the road when the vehicle is in motion. If you're parked, you can very well transfer the call to your smartphone, where you can also activate the video capabilities.
Thanks to the dashboard view powered by Coolwalk, users will be able to run the new applications side-by-side with Google Maps and Waze, therefore keeping the navigation experience uninterrupted. Navigation apps will use the smaller tile on the dashboard screen.
Google has also revealed that it expects Android Auto to become available in no more, no less than 200 million cars by the end of this year. These figures are proof that the adoption of Android Auto keeps improving, once again demonstrating that carmakers, such as General Motors, make a huge mistake by giving up on mobile phone projection.
The American carmaker has decided to block Android Auto and CarPlay in its future EVs. The company will use Android Automotive, promising upgraded capabilities powered by the embedded system. The transition to Android Automotive will begin with the 2024 Blazer EV and will then continue with the rest of the zero-emission models in its lineup.
In the meantime, Google keeps working on improving the Coolwalk availability. Announced back in January, Coolwalk is the redesigned Android Auto experience that allows users to run multiple apps on the same screen side-by-side. Google hasn't provided any updates on the current status of the rollout, but the company is expected to complete the process by the end of the summer. In other words, if you haven't received Coolwalk already, chances are the new experience will be enabled in your car in the coming months.
Google enables Coolwalk with a server-controlled switch, and the new interface is not linked with a specific Android Auto version. As such, installing a newer or older build wouldn’t activate the new interface unless Google specifically whitelists your hardware configuration.
Microsoft Teams already offers Android Auto support, allowing users to join calls right from their head units. Webex by Cisco and Zoom will soon support the same capabilities on Android Auto.
Google hasn't provided a specific ETA, but the new apps will most likely go live for Android Auto users by the end of the summer.
Obviously, you shouldn’t expect to join video calls using Microsoft Teams and Zoom. The apps will only support audio calls, as drivers must keep their eyes on the road when the vehicle is in motion. If you're parked, you can very well transfer the call to your smartphone, where you can also activate the video capabilities.
Thanks to the dashboard view powered by Coolwalk, users will be able to run the new applications side-by-side with Google Maps and Waze, therefore keeping the navigation experience uninterrupted. Navigation apps will use the smaller tile on the dashboard screen.
Google has also revealed that it expects Android Auto to become available in no more, no less than 200 million cars by the end of this year. These figures are proof that the adoption of Android Auto keeps improving, once again demonstrating that carmakers, such as General Motors, make a huge mistake by giving up on mobile phone projection.
The American carmaker has decided to block Android Auto and CarPlay in its future EVs. The company will use Android Automotive, promising upgraded capabilities powered by the embedded system. The transition to Android Automotive will begin with the 2024 Blazer EV and will then continue with the rest of the zero-emission models in its lineup.
In the meantime, Google keeps working on improving the Coolwalk availability. Announced back in January, Coolwalk is the redesigned Android Auto experience that allows users to run multiple apps on the same screen side-by-side. Google hasn't provided any updates on the current status of the rollout, but the company is expected to complete the process by the end of the summer. In other words, if you haven't received Coolwalk already, chances are the new experience will be enabled in your car in the coming months.
Google enables Coolwalk with a server-controlled switch, and the new interface is not linked with a specific Android Auto version. As such, installing a newer or older build wouldn’t activate the new interface unless Google specifically whitelists your hardware configuration.
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