Even when you don’t reside in one of many 26 states (and Washington D.C.) that prohibit you from utilizing your cellphone whereas driving, it’s nonetheless only a dangerous thought. The Nationwide Freeway Visitors Security Administration (NHTSA) studies that 3,522 individuals died in distracted driving incidents in 2021. A good chunk of these are possible the results of individuals taking their eyes off the highway to learn their texts. Fortunately, when you’ve acquired an Android smartphone, you’ve acquired a greater and safer technique to work together together with your cellphone within the automotive. It’s known as Android Auto, and it helps you retain your eyes on the highway by studying your texts for you, amongst many, many different issues.
What precisely does Android Auto do?
Android Auto is a system created by Google that means that you can mirror apps out of your Android Telephone to your car’s infotainment system, permitting for hands-free use. It additionally integrates Google Assistant in addition to many different Google apps like Google Maps, Google Play Music, YouTube Music, and third-party apps like Spotify, WhatsApp, Discord and Skype. It even helps Apple Music. Google retains a listing of Android Auto-compatible apps right here.
The best way to join Android Auto in my automotive?
Android Auto will be linked to your car in two methods. The primary is with a USB cable. This has the advantage of letting you cost your cellphone whilst you drive. Second, you’ll be able to join your cellphone wirelessly through Bluetooth, which has been technically supported since 2018, however wasn’t extensively obtainable till later. Now, the vast majority of autos and telephones help wi-fi connectivity.
Which automobiles are suitable with Android Auto?
Like Android’s rival Apple and its CarPlay cellphone integration, the listing of autos that help Android Auto is at all times rising, notably as extra producers start utilizing the Android Automotive working system for his or her car infotainment programs. Google’s Android Auto web site retains a complete listing of autos and stereos that help the system, making it tremendous straightforward to know if you will get in on the enjoyable, notably when you have a automotive that’s not model new.
If you wish to know which new automobiles in 2023 include Android Auto, we will help you out with a listing.
- Acura: Integra, MDX, RDX
- Alfa Romeo: Tonale
- Audi: A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, E-Tron, E-Tron GT, Q3, Q5, Q7, Q8
- BMW: 2 Collection, 3 Collection, 4 Collection, 5 Collection, 7 Collection, 8 Collection, iX, i4, X3, X4, X5, X6, X7, Z4
- Buick: Enclave, Encore GX, Envision
- Cadillac: CT4, CT5, Escalade, Lyriq, XT4, XT5, XT6
- Chevrolet: Blazer, Bolt EV, Bolt EUV, Camaro, Colorado, Corvette, Equinox, Malibu, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, Trailblazer, Traverse
- Chrysler: Pacifica, 300
- Dodge: Durango, Hornet
- Ford: Bronco, Edge, Escape, Expedition, F-150, F-250, F-350, Mustang Mach-E
- GMC: Acadia, Canyon, Hummer EV, Sierra, Terrain, Yukon
- Honda: Accord, Civic, CR-V, HR-V, Pilot
- Hyundai: Elantra, Kona, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Sonata, Tucson, Venue
- Infiniti: Q50, QX50, QX55, QX60, QX80
- Jaguar: E-Tempo, F-Tempo, F-Kind, I-Tempo, XF
- Jeep: Compass, Grand Cherokee, Grand Wagoneer, Wagoneer
- Kia: Carnival, Forte, K5, Niro, Rio, Seltos, Sorento
- Lexus: ES, GX, IS, LS, LX, NX, RX, RZ, TX, UX
- Lincoln: Corsair, Navigator, Nautilus
- Maserati Ghibli, Levante, Quattroporte
- Mazda: CX-50, CX-90, Mazda3, MX-5 Miata
- Mercedes-Benz: C-Class, EQB-Class, EQE-Class, EQS-Class, GLB, GLC, GLE, S-Class
- Nissan: Ariya, Frontier, Titan
- Porsche: 911, Cayenne, Panamera, Taycan
- Ram: 1500, 2500, 3500, ProMaster
- Toyota: BZ4X, Corolla, Crown, Grand Highlander, Highlander, Mirai, Prius, RAV4, Sequoia, Tundra, Venza
- Volkswagen: Arteon, Atlas, Golf, ID.4, Jetta, Taos, Tiguan
Why is Android Auto so helpful?
Other than the protection issue and the familiarity of utilizing apps you already know and belief, one large advantage of Android Auto is that it is at all times the identical, no matter what automotive you get into. For instance, when you get out of your 2022 Honda Civic day by day driver and need to load up your 2019 Ford F-150 for a weekend of tenting, you will have the identical seamless infotainment expertise in each autos. It is also extraordinarily useful when you and a major different share a automotive.
What are the very best Android Auto options?
There are a ton of actually nice baked-in options that make Android Auto superior, however right here’s a brief listing of our favorites:
- It should robotically resume media whenever you get again in your automotive
- It could learn and reply messages from plenty of apps like Fb, Instagram, Sign, Telegram and WhatsApp
- It really works with tons of maps apps together with Google Maps, TomTom Go, Waze (which is baked-in to Google Maps too) and Samsung Maps
- Google Assistant, which runs Android Auto, will work together together with your good house gadgets, so you’ll be able to ask it to open your good storage door or activate lights inside your home
Can I add Android Auto to my older automotive?
Whereas most new autos come outfitted as normal with Android Auto integration, many older autos by no means had it. If in case you have an older automotive that you just want was just a little extra trendy, the excellent news is that including Android Auto is often a reasonably easy affair due to the extensive world of aftermarket automotive stereos.
Most of those items are what’s often called “double DIN” sized, which ought to swimsuit most autos with the suitable set up package. The set up course of varies from car to car however when you’re useful, it’s not often too tough. In the event you’re not, then skilled set up is the best way to go. Pricing for a good Android Auto-compatible stereo begins at round $170 earlier than set up, so it’s not going to interrupt the financial institution to make your previous automotive really feel much more trendy.
Can I take advantage of Android Auto in my nation?
Android Auto sadly isn’t obtainable in all nations. It’s obtainable in a ton of them, don’t get us unsuitable, however due to points with the Google Play Providers offering location data, some customers can’t use the system with out discovering some type of hacky workaround. Google launched with help for 5 nations initially, added a further 36 nations to the listing of suitable locales again in 2020, then one other six extra in 2021 for a complete of 47. Google has a listing of nations the place Android Auto is on the market right here.
When did Android Auto debut?
Android Auto made its official debut in 2014 on the Google I/O developer convention, however the official app wasn’t launched to the general public till 2015. In 2016, Google enabled Android Auto to run immediately from the cellphone through an app, somewhat than on the car’s {hardware}, although this was discontinued for telephones working Android 9 or later in 2022 in favor of a extra direct integration with Google Assistant.