Upcoming Android Auto Features: Gemini Replace Google Assistant, Video App, And Climate Control

JAKARTA Google continues to innovate with Android Auto, and a series of new interesting features are ready to launch to improve your driving experience. From the integration of the latest AI assistant to deeper car controls, here is a summary of updates that you can look forward to.

One of the biggest changes to come is Gemini, Google's newest AI assistant, to replace Google Assistant on Android Auto. Google has confirmed that this transition will occur "in the coming months."

Gemini on Android Auto are expected to bring more advanced features, such as automatic translation and Gemini Live, which promises a more conversational and responsive assistant experience.

Media apps on Android Auto will also get a significant improvement. Google loosens some restrictions, gives developers more freedom to customize their media apps, opens the door to new functionality. Spotify's "Jam" feature will be one of the first to take advantage of this upgrade, allowing you to listen to music collaboratively in the car.

A bright theme for Android Auto, which has been developed since 2023, seems to be almost ready to roll out. This new theme will offer an alternative to the current dark design and will expand to all major user interfaces and apps. Google even officially shows off this bright theme at the I/O event.

Video App For Android Auto

Google has confirmed that the video app will be coming soon on Android Auto. It's important to note that this video app will only work when the vehicle is parked. This feature is likely to be launched as a beta program at first and will require phones running Android 16 as well as compatible cars.

Android Auto is also preparing support for climate control, allowing you to manage car air conditioning temperatures, fan speeds, seat heating/cooling, and more directly from the Android Auto interface. Although user interfaces for this feature have been manually activated in the latest beta version, big questions remain at how deep this integration is with a wide range of car models, as Android Auto usually has no deep access to vehicle control.

Google is trying to bring some form of local and radio media control to Android Auto. This includes instructions for controlling FM/AM radio stations and accessing "local media."

It was found in the code that Android Auto is preparing support for additional calling applications, in particular hinting at an "external" application. Information about this feature is still very limited, and there is no clear schedule when it will arrive.

Android Auto is laying the groundwork for control over Google Maps' "Warning". This appears to be linked to incident reporting, allowing users to manage notifications for reported incidents and other conditions that could affect their journey.