3 terrible Android Auto features I wish Google would fix

While I don’t drive as much daily as I used to, when I do, I must have Android Auto. Google’s phone-mirroring service has become so engrained in my driving habits that I feel uneasy not having it. Accessing my music, replying to messages, and using Google Maps makes my drives more enjoyable and safer.

The platform has seen hefty updates over the past few years to bring it closer to Apple’s CarPlay. The app layout has improved, the split-screen layout is great, and the new customization settings are nice. However, for all these improvements and my loose reliance on it, Android Auto isn’t perfect. There are three main areas I want to see Android Auto improve to make my drives better.

3

Reliable connectivity

Too many disconnects

When I connect my Android phone to my vehicle to use Android Auto, I expect that connection to be solid. Aside from the annoyance of my music or a phone call dropping because my truck and phone lost connection, it can lead to getting lost while driving. If I use Google Maps on Android Auto to navigate an unfamiliar area, it could lead to a bad experience.

I run into the issue of disconnects more than I like or should. I’ve had issues when I hardwire my phone to my truck or connect wirelessly. I can understand some wonkiness when wirelessly connected and in a densely urban area where competing signals interfere with the phone’s connection. Still, to have issues when the phone is plugged in is frustrating.

I have seen many instances of Google trying to fix Android Auto’s wireless connectivity issues, but those fixes never seem to fix the problems. In the “big city” near where I live, there is one area of town where I drop the connection between my truck and phone. I don’t know what’s in the air that causes it, but it happens every time I go there.

These drops have happened on highways and in cities, making me think it is a Google issue. It doesn’t matter what phone I use, as it has happened with Google Pixel, OnePlus, Samsung, Motorola, and more. I’ve tried different cables and settings, but the inconsistent connectivity persists. For a feature that’s supposed to make driving safer, dropped Android Auto connections do the opposite.

2

More apps

Let us have fun

Similarly to smartwatches, we don’t need apps in our vehicles. Wearables serve as a device to help track our health metrics and reduce the need to pull our phone out of our pocket to check notifications. In our vehicles, Android Auto does that task for us, except for the health metrics.

The apps we need for each platform are also similar, yet different. I don’t want games on my watch, the screen is too small. However, the larger screen in my truck is great for some simple games, and Game Snacks for Android Auto does what I need. I also don’t want YouTube, Netflix, or other video streaming services for my watch. Again, in my truck, I’d love access to those apps.

While there are ways people have hacked the ability to watch videos on vehicle head units for a while, the unofficial method requires additional hardware and bypasses safety features. This negates a big part of what makes Android Auto helpful, reducing distractions. However, there’s no reason Google can’t employ the same restriction on Game Snacks for video streaming. The vehicle must be in park.

By doing this, people won’t watch videos while driving, and it allows for entertainment while sitting in a parking lot. I’ve used Game Snacks while waiting for my kids after school, my wife to run into a store, or when I’ll be in my vehicle for a while. I don’t need full access to streaming while driving, and I don’t want it. But denying access is too much.

1

Improved notifications

Too hit-and-miss

When driving, the last thing I want to do is look at my phone or smartwatch to see what message came through. Important or not, it isn’t worth getting into a wreck. This is where Android Auto can help. By routing notifications to my truck’s head unit, I can have the message automatically read to me or tap the large button to have it relayed. From there, I can respond via voice or leave it on read.

That’s how it should work, and usually does. Sometimes, my phone or watch buzzes and nothing pops up on my stereo. While I thought it had to do with my settings, it is from messaging apps that have come through before. I can’t pinpoint the cause because sometimes I get a message through Telegram from my wife that shows up fine, and then others from her don’t. The only way I know is because my watch buzzes, and when I park, I see the messages on my phone but not my stereo.

This has happened with Telegram, Google Messages, Facebook Messenger, Google Calendar, and more. While this isn’t a make-or-break issue, it is annoying and could lead to bigger problems. If you expect an important message and don’t trust Android Auto to serve it, you may be tempted to look at your phone, making your drive less safe. Notifications are a key feature of Android Auto and must behave like it.

Keep on truckin’

Will these things make me stop using Android Auto? No, but if the connectivity gets worse, I might. The service has been important since I first used it eight years ago. I decided I wouldn’t own another vehicle that didn’t have it.

I would like to see trip planning improve in Google Maps while navigating Android Auto. I also want more app features, like seeing the queue in YouTube Music from the split-screen rather than swiping to see more playlists. Even though Google needs to fix some things in Android Auto, I think Android Auto has improved in recent years and I look forward to future improvements.