Summary

The tech giants are gradually inviting themselves into our cars and, for some, are even interested more generally in the automotive sector in the broad sense of the term. Google has already been present in our cars for a few years with Android Auto, the opportunity to take stock of its developments and new functions.

Android Auto, your favorite car salesman may have already told you about it if you are considering buying a new car. Today, the bulk of modern car infotainment systems lag behind in-car applications. GPS with dubious cartography, dated graphics, outdated ergonomics, latency, draft menus... In short, you will have understood the idea, there is no shortage of inglorious qualifiers for on-board infotainment systems, even if some come out better than others.

Some manufacturers, well aware that they are not developers of software, but of cars, have decided to join forces with certain tech giants to offer interfaces in their vehicles that are more in line with our tablets and smartphones. . This is for example the case of Volvo which, for its new models, does not offer Android Auto, but an operating system designed with Google: Android Automotive.

In other words, this infotainment system works with Google and does not require a connection to your smartphone. For more details on Android Automotive, we invite you to consult our handling of this operating system on board the Volvo XC40 Recharge.

If this type of collaboration tends to become more democratic, the fact remains that users still have more recourse to Android Auto (or Apple CarPlay, depending on the smartphone) in their car. We are therefore going to review what Android Auto is, and what it is possible to do with it.

The new Android Automotive system integrated into new Volvos.

Where does Android Auto come from?

Let's start with the historical part, since Android Auto, contrary to what one might think, is not new. It all started in January 2014, when Android Auto joined the Open Automotive Alliance, bringing together 28 major players in the automotive and mobile technology sectors such as Audi, the Renault Nissan Alliance and Nvidia. A few months later, in June 2014, Android Auto was officially presented, with a first official release on March 19, 2015.

Everything follows quite quickly then, since two months later, the Korean manufacturer Hyundai became the first manufacturer to offer Android Auto support, making it available for the first time in the 2015 Hyundai Sonata, a fairly high-end sedan. marketed in South Korea and the United States in particular. Time passes and Google continued to improve its in-car system, seeing that the number of users was constantly increasing, especially in the face of in-car infotainment systems which were already quite outdated at the time.

In July 2019, Android Auto received its first major UI overhaul. Among the many new features presented, there were several applications specific to Android Auto that can be used from the cockpit, while the Android Auto application itself disappeared in favor of the Google Assistant driving mode. For almost two years, Google has been working on extending Android Auto to several countries.

The beginnings of Android Auto in 2015.

What is Android Auto for?

Android Auto is a version of Google's Android mobile operating system designed to integrate into automotive dashboards. This is how we could succinctly define Android Auto. It allows smartphones and tablets running the Android system to interact directly with the vehicle's infotainment system equipped with a touch screen (or even just a screen), to transfer the controls from the smartphone to the dashboard. edge.

This allows you to take advantage of Google applications dedicated to driving, such as GPS navigation for example, directly from your car screen. This also allows the reading of multimedia content (music, not videos of course for obvious security reasons), SMS, telephony and Internet research. Like the Android system, functions can be added by applications. Manufacturers do not hesitate to integrate their own applications directly within the Google interface.

What are the advantages with Android Auto?

The main advantage of Android Auto is to have an interface similar to that of your smartphone. So it's already pretty good in terms of ergonomics, where some embedded systems are catastrophic in this area. Then, you can have fingertip access to several very practical applications, including Waze in particular, the on-board navigation system based on the principle of participatory production. In the same spirit, it is also possible to use Google Maps for navigation, with rather convincing real-time traffic, even if the application is not based on a participative principle like Waze.

The benefits of using Android Auto aren't limited to navigation, although that's what users generally use it for. To respond to an SMS or a message received on WattsApp without taking your phone in hand, it is also practical, since it is possible to have the message received dictated to you and also to respond using the Google Assistant. Always via the Google Assistant, or with your fingertips, it is also possible to listen to your favorite playlist, even if it is not a big novelty in itself since Bluetooth integration on cars allowed it already.

Which cars are compatible with Android Auto?

A lot. Today there are more than 500 models compatible with Android Auto. Of course, we are not going to list them all here, but the official Android Auto website allows you to test the compatibility of your car with the Google in-vehicle operating system. If your car is compatible, then you will have to check if it can work with your phone. If your device is running Android 9 or earlier, you will need to download the Android Auto app to your phone. From Android 10, Android Auto is natively integrated; so you don't need to download the app.

How to configure Android Auto in your car?

If your car is compatible with Android Auto, the next step will be configuration. As stated above, if your phone is equipped with Android 9 or an earlier version, you will need to download the Android Auto application. To do this, you will need to access the Google Play Store and then download it. You will then have to launch it each time you take the road. For the most recent phones, from Android 10 therefore, Android Auto is integrated and the download of the application is not necessary.

Connect to Android Auto wirelessly

Many makes and models of vehicles and phones are compatible with Android Auto in wireless mode. Availability changes quickly and varies by region and vehicle trim level. If the car display is compatible with wireless connection, you need to pair your phone with your car's Bluetooth for installation.

After setup, depending on your car again, either the phone will connect automatically as soon as you get into your vehicle, or the Android Auto app icon will show on the screen.

So make sure you have a smartphone running Android and compatible with an active data plan, 5 GHz Wi-Fi compatibility and the latest version of the Android Auto app. Wireless projection is compatible with the following Android versions:

Connect to Android Auto wired

This will certainly still be the most common way to connect with Android Auto: the good old USB-A or USB-C cable (although cars equipped with USB-C sockets are, in most cases, compatible with Android Auto wireless). Be careful, not all cables work, make sure the cable has the USB icon on it.

To connect your wired phone, make sure you have an Android smartphone with Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) or later, an active Internet plan and the latest version of the Android Auto application.

The voice assistant, the centerpiece of Android Auto

The strength of Android Auto is the integration of the Google Assistant, which keeps your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel. As stated above, it is possible to “listen” to a received message and dictate the response, without taking your eyes off the road. All this is possible thanks to voice control, where you can search for directions, listen to your favorite songs or even check the weather forecast by simply saying "Hey Google" before asking what you want.

It all depends on your car, again, but if it has voice recognition, you'll just have to say "Hey Google", or press the voice assistance button (usually located on the steering wheel), to give your directions. And for cars that don't have one, there's a microphone icon built right into the screen interface.

What apps can you find on Android Auto?

There are many, many applications compatible with Android Auto. As always, there are some that we use more than others, especially in the car where the main activity remains driving. Usually.

The main navigation applications:

The main messaging applications:

The main music apps:

The main audiobook applications:

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