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You May Want to Delay Updating Android Auto Due to This Bug

Android Auto can read messages received by drivers while running the app, but a new bug that showed up recently breaks down this functionality.
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Users who installed one recent Android Auto update claim the app is no longer able to read the received messages. Instead, it skips the reading part and prompts them to provide a message to respond.

The glitch was first discovered in late 2022, but it was quietly fixed by Google shortly after that. The company never acknowledged the problem publicly, but one of its updates brought things back to normal for most users.

This time, the problem was first spotted when Google shipped Android Auto 8.9. The most recent version at the time of writing is 9.2, but the bug is still there.

The message reading experience in Android Auto is powered by Google Assistant. In its turn, the voice commands and the rest of the related features rely on the Google app, which is updated separately from Android Auto. As such, Android Auto might not be the one to blame for the bug, as the error could reside in the Google app.

Users claim that none of the workarounds they’ve tried brought things back to normal. However, most of their fixes were aimed at Android Auto specifically. If the culprit is the Google app, the workarounds should be specifically targeted at it.

One possible fix involves clearing the cache and the data of the Google app, as this would restore Google Assistant to the original default settings. If this doesn’t work, then Google is the one that should come up with a solution.

Android Auto not reading the received messages could eventually force users to look at the mobile device. This is obviously a big no-no while the vehicle is in motion.

Given Google has so far remained tight-lipped on a new fix, users are all alone in their struggle to find a workaround. The company is currently investigating the problems. But it’s too early to tell when a fix could land.

As such, if everything is working properly in your car, delaying the update of Android Auto and the Google app might be a good temporary choice. Users who encountered problems with message reading in Android Auto 8.9 claim nothing was fixed in the most recent stable builds.

Google started the rollout of Android Auto 9.3 beta earlier this week, but for now, it’s not yet known if this update produces any improvements for the message reading experience. If no major bug is found, Google should promote Android Auto 9.3 to the stable channel by the end of the month. In the meantime, you can download it using the manual APK installers on your Android device.
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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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