With a fleet of cars as varied and crowded as that of mobile phones, Google keeps the tool that unites the two ever-changing worlds. At least in terms of updates: Android Auto usually adds new versions almost every month. But why update a user interface that is generally does not offer any visible improvement to this user? Because the news is under the hood (wink, wink).
We tend to echo all Android Auto updates because it’s extremely important that this software is renewed: since it keeps distractions away, interacting with the mobile while driving is much safer using systems adapted to the car. From our experience, it is advisable to update the mobile app as soon as possible; despite the fact that it may not bring visible improvements.
road safety at stake
An infotainment or “infotainment” operating system should be useful for driving while relieves driver fatigue with programs and music that allow you to abstract yourself. All while avoiding distractions as much as possible: for this, we use the vehicle screen and, above all, the steering wheel controls.
If the system should break down, hang up the screen would cause a distraction that could lead to an accident. To avoid this, Google maintains an update process on Android Auto that is not only very marked, but also gradual. And constant.
Android Auto is a phone application that projects the image and touchscreen interface onto the vehicle’s console. In itself, this screen of the car is “stupid” since it cannot work on its own (as long as the car does not include Android Automotive, a version independent of the mobile). Therefore, whenever Android Auto is updated only the smartphone app does it, not the car.
Android Auto updates are only done on the phone app: the car is not updated
Google maintains a very busy update plan: the distance between stable versions does not even reach a month. This plan is carried out in two phases:
- Android Auto beta. It is the testing mechanism by which errors are fixed, new features are tested, and stability is guaranteed. Google opens a new beta version right after releasing the previous stable version. Its updates are almost daily and the test group is closed: the only way to access the betas is to download the APK.
- Stable Android Auto. Google releases a stable build approximately every month and always after extensive beta testing of that same build. Anyone with a mobile equal to or greater than Android 8 can download it from the Google Play Store.
Although the updates are constant, this does not mean that Android Auto renews its face with the same frequency. In reality, its interface has hardly changed in the last two years; without Google including a lot of visible news. As we said at the beginning, the purpose of keeping development alive is to fix system errors, compatibility with phones and cars, avoid driving safety hazards, and ensure connection, projection and maximum interaction stability. . Zero distractions is the goal.
The main changes are in the code
Android Auto Coolwalk
Android Auto has yet to activate its new look, the so-called Coolwalk. Google recently confirmed it was on the way, but the new interface still does not appear even if the application has been updated
We have been analyzing the Android Auto database for some time (it is in the Google Play Services code) and with each version jump new functions usually appear, others change names and, of course, disappearing options. These changes, sometimes subtle and sometimes profound, can only be enabled at development level; it is therefore very difficult to test how Android Auto will evolve from its internal parameters.
Android Auto database with boolean activation of one of the latest changes: Vertical Coolwalk
With the jump between versions, Google has tweaked aspects like the aforementioned Coolwalk interface, even if they can’t be seen in operation. And updates are important because Google makes sure that when you roll out test features to all users and from your servers, these will look the same on all cars, they will also work as expected. Since the update is mandatory (Android Auto stops working if the software is outdated), this minimizes outages.
The development of Android Auto is one of the pillars of Google. Because it involves the automotive giants, because it also involves Google’s partners in the mobile sector and, importantly, because Auto provides a significant amount of user data to the servers. Maybe we as users won’t see any changes despite the fact that Android Auto is updated every month, but in fact there are. And more.
