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Three New Big Android Auto Features Already Confirmed by Google

Unlike Apple, Xiaomi, Huawei, and other tech giants, Google doesn’t seem to be interested in building its own car. But this doesn’t necessarily mean the Mountain View-based search giant isn’t eyeing an expansion in the automotive industry.
Android Auto is getting new features 6 photos
Photo: Google
Android Auto interfaceAndroid Auto interfaceAndroid Auto interfaceAndroid Auto interfaceAndroid Auto interface
It does, but as compared to its long-time rivals mentioned above, the company just wants to do the whole thing by sticking with what it does best.

So right now, Google is working on multiple fronts to bring its services to cars out there. Android Auto and Android Automotive are spearheading these efforts, with the latter already making its way to more and more vehicles out there.

The difference between the two is that Android Auto requires a mobile phone to project the Android experience on the larger display inside the car. Android Automotive, on the other hand, is pre-loaded from the factory and is the one in charge of powering the digital experience behind the wheel, hence the integration of Google services is much deeper.

Google is therefore working on both fronts simultaneously, and the good news is the company has already announced new features coming to users who want the Android experience in their cars too. Android Auto is thus supposed to get new functionality in the coming updates, and the three features mentioned below are making it a much more advanced alternative to CarPlay.

Android Auto interface
Photo: Google

Dual-SIM support

If you’re already familiar with the Android Auto ecosystem, you probably know already that the support for dual-SIM devices is one of the most requested features.

And this makes perfect sense. The number of phones with two SIMs, either two physical SIMs or one SIM and one eSIM, has increased substantially in the last few years. And needless to say, people use these devices with Android Auto too.

Up to this point, however, Android Auto could only read the default SIM when the device was connected to the head unit. This kind of defeated the purpose of having a dual-SIM in the first place, so Google is now working on resolving this shortcoming.

Android Auto will be updated with dual-SIM support, so users will be allowed to choose what SIM they want to use for calls and messages when connecting their devices to HUs.

Android Auto interface
Photo: Google

Automatic launching settings

On the other hand, if you used Android Auto in more than a car, there’s a chance you noticed a different behavior when trying to launch the app.

This is because some head units launch Android Auto automatically, whereas others require drivers to manually trigger the whole thing with a tap on the app’s icon on the home screen.

Android Auto will soon get auto-launching settings that will allow users to decide how they want the whole thing to work. If enabled, the automatic launch means Android Auto loads on every connect and the experience is therefore resumed the moment the connection to the head unit is established.

If this setting is disabled, then Android Auto uses the behavior configured on the head unit.

A new music button

Google is also adding a new always-on button on Android Auto. Its purpose is as simple as it could be: this button allows users to find content to listen to easier, all without the need for launching a media app and then searching for music or podcasts.

The new button will show up in the lower bar on Android Auto, and when tapped, it brings up suggested content that users could listen to, including not only their favorite tunes but also podcasts and even news.

Given it’s integrated into the dynamic bar at the bottom, the button is available no matter what app is running on the screen, so in theory, this should make listening to media while driving a lot more convenient and straightforward overall.
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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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