Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/Google
There are a million reasons to install the latest version of your favorite software, and in Android Auto's case, users rush to deploy the updates to get more fixes, stability improvements, and possibly new features.
Unfortunately, a new bug plaguing Android Auto serves as a reminder that installing the latest updates on day one is never the right way.
Users who installed the latest update on the Play Store claim they ended up with Android Auto no longer launching on the car screen. The connection is only randomly detected, but when it is, Android Auto fails to launch automatically.
The behavior happens in cars where the app used to launch without further user input, so the latest version tweaked the default configuration. What's worse is that Android Auto fails to launch even with a touch request, as users who tap the app's icon on the infotainment screen say their request is ignored.
Eventually, users can no longer run Android Auto in their cars for a reason that's impossible to determine, and it's all happening after installing a recent app update on their devices.
The mysterious bug occurs in various car models, so it does seem linked to a specific carmaker. Additionally, it also doesn't come down to a certain phone model or brand, as I'm seeing reports from Samsung and Pixel owners, all reporting the same problems.
A workaround doesn't exist, as users who came across this odd problem say they've tried everything, including removing Android Auto and starting from scratch in their cars. Nothing worked, and despite all signs suggesting a problem on the vehicle's side, all users say they didn't install a new infotainment firmware update. The only app they updated was Android Auto, so the culprit must be Google's app.
It's unclear if all these users are running the same Android Auto version, but the most recent stable build is 10.9.
Meanwhile, Google has also shipped the first Android Auto 11 beta build, though it doesn't seem to correct the problem. Most beta builds are supposed to help Google test the reliability and stability of a new release before the production rollout starts. However, Google seemingly needs more time to figure out what happens in this case.
A Community Specialist says the Android Auto team needs additional information about the glitch, so they requested users to submit detailed bug reports that also include the head unit make and model and the Android OS version running on their smartphones. I wouldn't be surprised to see Android 14 being the one to blame in this saga, as the new operating system caused all kinds of problems on users' devices, including Spotify issues and Google Assistant errors. Google hasn't yet shipped any Android Auto improvements in its Android 14 patches.
Users who installed the latest update on the Play Store claim they ended up with Android Auto no longer launching on the car screen. The connection is only randomly detected, but when it is, Android Auto fails to launch automatically.
The behavior happens in cars where the app used to launch without further user input, so the latest version tweaked the default configuration. What's worse is that Android Auto fails to launch even with a touch request, as users who tap the app's icon on the infotainment screen say their request is ignored.
Eventually, users can no longer run Android Auto in their cars for a reason that's impossible to determine, and it's all happening after installing a recent app update on their devices.
The mysterious bug occurs in various car models, so it does seem linked to a specific carmaker. Additionally, it also doesn't come down to a certain phone model or brand, as I'm seeing reports from Samsung and Pixel owners, all reporting the same problems.
A workaround doesn't exist, as users who came across this odd problem say they've tried everything, including removing Android Auto and starting from scratch in their cars. Nothing worked, and despite all signs suggesting a problem on the vehicle's side, all users say they didn't install a new infotainment firmware update. The only app they updated was Android Auto, so the culprit must be Google's app.
It's unclear if all these users are running the same Android Auto version, but the most recent stable build is 10.9.
Meanwhile, Google has also shipped the first Android Auto 11 beta build, though it doesn't seem to correct the problem. Most beta builds are supposed to help Google test the reliability and stability of a new release before the production rollout starts. However, Google seemingly needs more time to figure out what happens in this case.
A Community Specialist says the Android Auto team needs additional information about the glitch, so they requested users to submit detailed bug reports that also include the head unit make and model and the Android OS version running on their smartphones. I wouldn't be surprised to see Android 14 being the one to blame in this saga, as the new operating system caused all kinds of problems on users' devices, including Spotify issues and Google Assistant errors. Google hasn't yet shipped any Android Auto improvements in its Android 14 patches.
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