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New Update, New Error: Android Auto Mysteriously Broken on Samsung Phones

It’s not a secret that installing Android Auto updates is very often a risky thing to do, as the tiniest change under the hood of the app could end up leading to major problems, including connectivity errors.
Android Auto home screen 6 photos
Photo: Google
Android Auto Coolwalk interfaceAndroid Auto Coolwalk interfaceAndroid Auto Coolwalk interfaceAndroid Auto Coolwalk interfaceAndroid Auto Coolwalk interface
This is what appears to be happening right now, as Samsung phone owners are complaining that a recent update broke down Android Auto in their cars.

For the time being, however, the reports are vague, and the issue is as mysterious as it gets.

First and foremost, the first Samsung phone owner who noticed the glitch posted a message on Google’s forums 7 days ago, with several others then confirming that the whole thing happened after an update received by Android Auto.

At this point, however, it’s not clear precisely what version of the app is causing the connection problems, but in all cases, Android Auto no longer launches in a car where a Samsung phone is being used to power the experience. More often than not, the latest-generation Galaxy S-branded devices are involved.

In the meantime, Google has also marked this problem as a “trending issue,” with a Community Specialist confirming that the reports have been forwarded to the Android Auto dev team for further investigation.

On the other hand, no workaround is known to exist at this point, so users are all alone in their struggle to find a way to bring things back to normal in their cars.

Of course, if the latest version of Android Auto is the one to blame for this experience, the first thing that’s worth trying is a downgrade to an earlier build. This should help rule out a broken update, though I’m more inclined to believe that the glitch is caused by a Samsung update rather than a new version of Android Auto, especially given only the newest Galaxy S models are affected.
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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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