After a year 2024 under Android Auto with more promises than realitiesFor example, the arrival of FM radio in Google's infotainment system for vehicles, the goodbye of Google Assistant in favor of Gemini Live or AI to summarize the messages that reach us, as a user I hope 2025 will be the big change.
In addition to the materialization of some of these promises for which the wait takes forever or which arrive in dribs and drabs, the reality is that the adaptation of Android to the steering wheel still has a lot of room for improvement and limits: c what I would like to see on the ground in 2025 to achieve a smoother, more personalized and complete experience with Android Auto.
Let AI become co-pilot in Android Auto
If there is a usage scenario where this is necessary to someone anticipates our needs and makes our lives easierit's behind the wheel, where any distraction can be fatal. We've already seen that it's on the roadmap for the assistant to be Gemini Live, which in practice means its ability to understand and contextualize improves dramatically and thank goodness: Google Assistant is infuriating.
But AI can do so much more in Android Auto: from these summaries of the messages that reach us to offer us optimized routes based on current traffic, suggest playlists or podcasts that we usually listen to, give us a helping hand by suggesting service stations near proximity simply when we notice that we are running out of gas or a break if we have been driving for several hours.
In the end, it is simply an internet connection, being up to date with current legislation, Gemini and that it works in the background taking into account our habits and customs: Android Auto can be the dream co-pilot.
More customization
Virtually everything you can customize in Android Auto is on these screens
In Android Auto, customization is jack, horse and king: Beyond changing the order of apps that appear in the menu, creating shortcuts or playing with the background or playing with light/dark tones, there's not much we can do by ourselves -themselves.
Without going any further, with Android Auto Coolwalk we miss the possibility of choosing which screens make up the mosaic, its size and layout or adding quick access applications to the bottom bar. Likewise, adaptation with new display modes depending on the environment would be great, for example distinguishing cities from rural areas. And the icing on the cake would be be able to have widgets with basic and essential information drive like traffic or weather.
The (official) arrival of video applications
If there is a prohibited function for which you will not find applications among those available, it is watching videos on Android Auto. Please note, it is not that there are no exceptions such as the use of Zoom (even if they are actually video calls) or that it is impossible: without going any further, I watch TNT channels and you can also enjoy YouTube, but It's not as simple as downloading an app to your mobile and see it on the car screen.
It is clear that watching a video while driving is dangerous and it is logical that there are blockages while the car is moving, but there are many other scenarios in which Watching videos on Android Auto makes perfect senseserve as an example when we are with the car parked waiting for someone or if we are going camping and want to watch our football team.
Cover | Eva Rodriguez de Luis
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