New Android Auto Update Now Available With Mysterious Changes

Here’s everything you need to know about this new update.

First and foremost, the new version is Android Auto 8.6, and it is now available through the typical channels: the Google Play Store, with a phased rollout, and the stand-alone APK installers that let you update right now.

The stable version of Android Auto 8.6 goes live after nearly a full month in the beta program, as the first time a testing build went live to users was on November 23. Needless to say, this means the new version should be ready for prime time, coming with a reduced likelihood of bugs and issues. But as everybody knows already, this is all just a matter of luck, as every single Android Auto update can end up breaking down things for no clear reason.

Then, given Google hasn’t shared a changelog for Android Auto 8.6, there’s a good chance that nothing big is included. In other words, the focus has most likely been on bug fixes and other polishing, but this is good news, nonetheless. The app should now feel smoother, with some of the bugs that have previously been reported likely to be gone now.

Once again, without an official changelog, users themselves must figure out what’s new. And given the rollout is still in the early stages, it’ll probably take some time until this happens.

But on the other hand, while we don’t know what’s included, we do know what’s not included.

Coolwalk, the massive Android Auto that everybody is waiting for, is still nowhere to be seen for production devices. Announced at I/O earlier this year, Coolwalk was supposed to go live for all users out there at some point during the summer.

The search giant eventually missed the deadline, with Coolwalk nowhere to be seen until a few weeks ago when it started showing up gradually for users enrolled in the beta program. Since then, the rollout gained more pace for beta testers, so right now, pretty much everybody who is part of the program should be able to try out the new interface, including drivers whose cars come with rotary controls.

Google is now expected to ship the Coolwalk redesign to everybody out there at some point in 2023, but of course, no further specifics were provided. However, Android Auto 8.6 doesn’t bring any changes on this front, so you’d better not rush to download and install this update hoping Coolwalk would finally become available.

At this point, the only way to try out Coolwalk early is to become a part of the beta program and install the pre-release builds that are shipped by Google.

Given the rollout of the new update is taking place in stages, meaning that not everybody is getting Android Auto 8.6 on day one, the only workaround is to switch to the manual installation mode. This means that you must download Android Auto 8.6 from this page and then install it on your Android device just like you do with any regular APK file.

Keep in mind, however, that doing this would involve giving permission to the installation of apps from sources other than the Google Play Store, so make sure you read the on-screen prompts that show up during the Android Auto update.

This is, without a doubt, the last stable Android Auto of the year, so hopefully, 2023 will bring us more significant improvements for the app, including not only the highly anticipated Coolwalk redesign but also additional refinements and bug fixes to upgrade the overall experience in the car.