Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/Google
Bugs are common in the Android Auto world, and users occasionally end up hitting various problems making it impossible to experience the whole functionality.
The most recent widespread problem hitting Android Auto adopters breaks down the app completely, and most people seem to think that a recent update is responsible for the blunder.
The first report appeared in July when users started turning to Google's forums to report unexpected behavior on their devices. The July 2023 update broke down Android Auto, causing the app to fail to load in multiple cars.
The bug doesn't seem related to a specific car model or brand, as users reported the same glitch in Nissan, Toyota, Suzuki, and other vehicles. The phone model doesn't make a difference either, as the problem exists on Xiaomi, Samsung, and Google Pixel devices.
All users encountering the bug claim Android Auto was working perfectly before the July update, but the app no longer starts after installing the new version. The icon doesn't appear on the home screen anymore (this is intended, though, as Android Auto is now integrated into the operating system), but the app fails to load like the head unit doesn't detect the mobile device.
Google has already confirmed that it's looking into reports, but it's too early to tell when a fix could ship. In the meantime, some users discovered that a very simple workaround brings things back to normal, allowing them to continue running Android Auto in their cars.
It all comes down to clearing the cache and the data in Android Auto. Considering the app is integrated into the operating system, you must browse your phone's settings and look for Android Auto in system services to find the data and cache clearing options. Once you do this, Android Auto should load correctly even after the July update.
The workaround only works on certain devices, as some users claim they've tried all the generic fixes, and Android Auto still doesn't launch in their cars. Changing cables doesn't produce an improvement, as the cord used to connect the smartphone to the head unit isn't the culprit. The same cable worked correctly before the July update, so the new Android Auto version is certainly to blame for the glitch.
In the meantime, Google says it continues the investigation, but it's unclear when the company will deliver a fix. The process could take a while, as Google is never in a rush to ship Android Auto patches, despite some related to widespread glitches.
In this case, the error impacts more than a handful of devices. Tens of users have already acknowledged the same problem in their cars, with the discussion thread started on Google's forums already having over one hundred upvotes.
The first report appeared in July when users started turning to Google's forums to report unexpected behavior on their devices. The July 2023 update broke down Android Auto, causing the app to fail to load in multiple cars.
The bug doesn't seem related to a specific car model or brand, as users reported the same glitch in Nissan, Toyota, Suzuki, and other vehicles. The phone model doesn't make a difference either, as the problem exists on Xiaomi, Samsung, and Google Pixel devices.
All users encountering the bug claim Android Auto was working perfectly before the July update, but the app no longer starts after installing the new version. The icon doesn't appear on the home screen anymore (this is intended, though, as Android Auto is now integrated into the operating system), but the app fails to load like the head unit doesn't detect the mobile device.
Google has already confirmed that it's looking into reports, but it's too early to tell when a fix could ship. In the meantime, some users discovered that a very simple workaround brings things back to normal, allowing them to continue running Android Auto in their cars.
It all comes down to clearing the cache and the data in Android Auto. Considering the app is integrated into the operating system, you must browse your phone's settings and look for Android Auto in system services to find the data and cache clearing options. Once you do this, Android Auto should load correctly even after the July update.
The workaround only works on certain devices, as some users claim they've tried all the generic fixes, and Android Auto still doesn't launch in their cars. Changing cables doesn't produce an improvement, as the cord used to connect the smartphone to the head unit isn't the culprit. The same cable worked correctly before the July update, so the new Android Auto version is certainly to blame for the glitch.
In the meantime, Google says it continues the investigation, but it's unclear when the company will deliver a fix. The process could take a while, as Google is never in a rush to ship Android Auto patches, despite some related to widespread glitches.
In this case, the error impacts more than a handful of devices. Tens of users have already acknowledged the same problem in their cars, with the discussion thread started on Google's forums already having over one hundred upvotes.
Google News