Most car manufacturers often find it a bit difficult to keep up with the relentless and fast progress of both the different smart phones and the applications themselves.
This means that as soon as a new vehicle goes on sale, some basic features like the navigation and entertainment systems are likely to be out of date.
The way to avoid this is to incorporate an interface that basically means bringing all the power of our smartphone, reflecting most of its applications on the entertainment and information screen of our vehicle, thereby offering us the possibility of controlling all functions through the touch screen of the car and the various built-in microphones.
Thus, for example, it is perfectly possible to start a navigation app (such as Google Maps or Apple Maps) directly on the screen of our vehicle, even when our car does not have a GPS navigation system, to be able to comfortably go to a certain address using indications.
While for Apple users this system is known by the name of CarPlay , for Google users the system has been baptized with the name of Android Auto .
What exactly is Android Auto? What does it consist of?
In short, we could define Android Auto as an integration system of our Android mobile phone with the vehicle , which offers us the possibility of accessing certain functions of our phone with the help of the hands-free and the touch screen of our vehicle, all this through its information and entertainment system.
As with Bluetooth connectivity, Android Auto offers us the possibility of receiving and making phone calls comfortably with the help of the hands-free integrated in the car, but it tends to be much more sophisticated, since it provides us with access to the Google Assistant , use Google Maps to go to a specific address, we can access certain instant messaging applications (with the corresponding reading of the messages received, and thus avoid looking at the screen), or the reproduction of our music library.
How does Android Auto work?
There is no doubt that one of its main advantages is that it gives the user of an Android mobile phone a familiar interface on the car screen , since the Android Auto home screen has a design similar to the operating system that we find by default on our phone.
The purpose is to help eliminate distractions caused by the infotainment system, and reduce the risk of accidents by not having to use our mobile phone to carry out some basic functions, such as making a phone call while driving.
But its advantages go much further, since we could use the Google Maps application to provide navigation guidance, placing the map and the route to which we should go on the vehicle information screen, while the speakers of the same reproduce the directions spoken step by step.
Not surprisingly, the system is able to import the destinations saved in Google Maps to reproduce them automatically, or use the different voice recognition controls to issue a series of basic verbal commands that are extremely useful while driving, such as “call mom” or “Sail home.”
In short, here are some of the main features provided by Android Auto:
Google Assistant
Through the command “Hey Google” we can activate the Google Assistant, which will offer us the possibility of doing practically anything, from setting navigation destinations or routes to making calls, including other useful functions such as reading text messages that we receive to avoid looking at the screen.
Make phone calls and send text messages
By using the hands-free of our vehicle and using voice commands, Android Auto allows us to make calls comfortably or even listen to text messages aloud (and answer them with our voice).
Navigation with Google Maps
Especially when we do not have a navigation system integrated in our vehicle, there is no doubt that Android Auto becomes an excellent option, since it allows us to bring all the power of Google Maps to the car’s entertainment and information system .
In this way, it is perfectly possible to use the different voice commands to create new routes, add waypoints along the route, or receive different traffic alerts in real time.
Using Android apps
Another added advantage is related to the possibility of using Android apps through this system. And we not only find the default Android, but many other third-party apps compatible with this system.
This is the case, for example, of Spotify, Tidal or Waze, as well as different popular instant messaging apps such as WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger.
What Android phones are compatible with Android Auto?
We find Android Auto on practically all modern Android phones. Basically you should have Android 6 or later, and also have a data plan , since this functionality requires Internet access to function normally.
However, everything will depend on the version of the operating system that we have installed. For example, while on a phone with Android 10 or later it will not be necessary to install the app, in the case of an older phone it may be necessary to do so.
