Google unveils its latest version of Android Auto. The experience should be even smoother and smoother.
These past years, Google used CES to demonstrate its vision of “Better Together,” the idea that all entities should get along well together. This means that the American giant makes announcements like Fast Pair or expands Cast compatibility with more third-party products. At CES 2023, the Mountain View company explained that it was working with Spotify to integrate the Connect streaming tool into the Android interface. It also unveiled a first preview of its audio transfer feature, which suggests different devices to send your music to depending on your habits and where you are.
Google unveils its latest version of Android Auto
But since CES is (also) a big car show, Google naturally had products in this category. For example, the company explains that higher-definition maps are coming to the Polestar 3, and for the first time since it was announced at the I/O 2022 conference, they are doing a public demonstration of the latest version of Android Auto.
There were two vehicles at the Google booth, a BMW i7 with the all-new Android Auto experience and a Volvo EX90 with Google built-in. As announced during the I/O 2022 conference, this interface will adapt much better to large screens, including a display on separate screens. Google has also removed the status bar, placed the various icons in a small square at the top left of the screen and added a line of shortcuts just below. In the car, the left panel contained the Spotify app, with a simple swipe from the right a suggested playlist appears.
The experience should be even more fluid and successful
The left window is also used to group alerts that you don’t have time to manage while driving. For example, if a notification arrives, you can swipe it to the right to send it to the dock, and it will stay there until you have time to deal with it.
Watch the video below made by our colleagues from Engadget to discover all this in action.