Google Is About to Stop You Using Android Auto on Your Phone
If you’re still using Android Auto on your phone, the next time you open the app you’re likely to see a warning: “Android Auto for phone screens will stop working soon.”
Almost a year after the company announced plans to shut down the Android Auto for phone screens app, it looks like it’s finally happening. In its place, you’ll need to use Driving Mode in Google Assistant.
The Android Auto Mobile App Will Stop Working
The move to shut down Android Auto on phones does not come as a surprise as Google first announced its intention to do so in August 2021. The company issued a statement at the time (viaAndroid Police), saying:
Google Assistant driving mode is our next evolution of the mobile driving experience. For the people who use Android Auto in supported vehicles, that experience isn’t going away. For those who use the on phone experience (Android Auto mobile app), they will be transitioned to Google Assistant driving mode. Starting with Android 12, Google Assistant driving mode will be the built-in mobile driving experience.
Support for the Android Auto app was never included in Android 12, so if you’re using an up-to-date phone you will be unaffected by this change. However, the app continued to work on older versions of Android, and indeed it’s stillavailable to downloadat the time of writing. Google hasn’t said how long it will be before the Android Auto app stops working.
Still, it’s worth making the jump to Driving Mode in Google Assistant before you’re pushed. You have to activate it first, and the setting to do so is buried pretty deep. You can find it on your phone atSettings > Google > Settings for Google Apps > Search, Assistant & Voice > Google Assistant > Transport > Driving Mode.
Once you’ve activated it, Driving Mode will launch automatically when you’re navigating in Google Maps, or when you connect to your car’s Bluetooth system. Take a look at our guide toAndroid Auto settings you should tweakto get it running smoothly.
Android Auto for Phone Screens Is No More
Although Driving Mode has not proven universally popular with users, many of whom have found it slower and less reliable than Android Auto, it is the future. And now that it is set to become the only means of navigating on Android, we can hope that it becomes a more polished and powerful product.
Meanwhile, Android Auto for phone screens is joining the ever-growing list of apps that Google has shut down.
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