Android is one of the most used OS in smartphones which packs several important features like Google Maps, Android Auto & More. If you frequently travel by Car to foreign places then you need an effective guide. And this is what the Android Auto app is for. Not only for navigation, but also keeps you focused on driving by bringing all required smartphone functions to your Car dashboard.
In this article I will explain how to use Android Auto in a car along with how to connect an Android phone to a car, as well as information on other Android Auto features.
Android Auto is similar to CarPlay which is also used for the same purpose. But depending on your smartphone, if you are using an Android phone then you can use Android Auto and if you are using an iPhone, you can use CarPlay.
Android Auto support also depends on the Car & Android phone you have. To enjoy Android Auto, Car or Stereo features you must support Android Auto. Luckily most new cars come with Android Auto and CarPlay support. So it would be nice before buying a car, first check whether the car supports these services or not.
What is Android Auto?
Android Auto is a smart driving companion app which brings Navigation, Entertainment, Call, Message, Android Assistant to your car display screen. As you can guess from the name, it is based on Android, so to use Android Auto you must have an Android phone.
Android Auto keeps you focused on driving and brings everything on your phone including notifications to the car view. This means you don’t have to hold your phone while driving and also get the right directions.
More than 500 car models support Android Auto which will continue to increase with the launch of new cars. Almost all new Cars come with built-in Android Auto support. Now let’s see which Android phones are eligible for Android Auto.
Android Auto Compatible Smartphone
Android Auto is compatible with all Android phones running Android 6.0 or later. Smartphones with Android 9 or older versions don’t have Android Auto pre-installed, so to use Android Auto you have to manually install it from the Play Store.
While Android 10 or later versions come with Android Auto pre-installed. Later, you can update the Android Auto application from the Play Store. To connect your Android phone to Android Auto you can use a USB cable or Bluetooth for wireless connection.
Android Auto also supports wireless connectivity but is limited to smartphones that meet all requirements. So if you want to connect your Android phone to Android Auto wirelessly, check the requirements below.
- Phones with Android 11 or later.
- All Samsung and Pixel Android Phones with Android 10 or later.
- Samsung Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, or Note 8, with Android 9.0 or later.
If you have a phone that meets the requirements for Android Auto compatible phones, check out the other three conditions:
- Android phone must have 5Ghz WiFi support.
- must be connected to an active internet connection.
- the phone must be running the latest version of the Android Auto app.
If these three conditions are met, then your Android phone is compatible with Wireless projection. For those of you Samsung smartphone users, see the guide on how to connect your phone to Car from here.
Check Android Auto Compatible Cars and Phones
The first thing you need to do is to verify if your Car or Stereo supports Android Auto. If not then you will have to buy a new car or install a supported Stereo in your old Car. As for Android phones, you need a phone running Android 6.0 or later. Install the Android Auto app on your phone, update it if it is already installed on your Android smartphone. To check which cars support Android Auto, you can check here.
How to Connect Android phone to Car
Once you have the car and compatible Android device, the next step is to connect the Android phone to the car. To connect a smartphone, you need a USB cable. For Android 11 or higher, you can also use Bluetooth for connection, but USB cable is highly recommended for better Android Auto performance. Now just plug your phone into any available port on your Car.
How to Use Android Auto in Car
In this section, we will guide you how to use Android Auto in car to enjoy its features on your Car screen. Android Auto lets you access Google Maps easy to navigate, You can even try third party Maps apps, Spotify & other music streaming appsMessaging, Dialer and more.
Android Auto control depends on Android device and Car model. Some Cars have built-in buttons to activate Google Assistant, Volume control and more. But connecting to Android Auto is the same for all Cars. So let’s get started with our guide on how to use Android Auto in a car.
Connect to the Internet
To use Android Auto in Car, you have to connect the phone to the internet. Obviously because most of the features require internet and so make sure to connect your phone to internet either using Cellular Data or WiFi.
Set up Android Auto
Now download & Install Android Auto & Android Auto app for phone screens (not mandatory) and set up the app. Grant all the permissions that the app will ask for. If you miss any permissions, your Car view might give a splicing error. Also make sure the main Android Auto application is up to date.
How to Run Android Auto in Car
Once your Phone is connected to your Car, you will see Android Auto app on your Car screen. Click on Android Auto and it will take you to another home screen where you will find Android Auto apps like Google Maps, Spotify, Dialer, Messaging app, and some other Music apps installed on your phone. The Android Auto home screen will look like an Android tablet. You will also have Google Assistant, Home Button, and running apps as control menu.
That’s it, now you can access any app or service available on Android Auto. Note that only the apps installed on your phone will appear on your Car screen. Now let’s see which types of apps you can use on Android Auto in the features section.
Android Auto App Features
Navigation: The main purpose of the Android Auto companion app is uninterrupted driving and navigation. Android Auto supports Google Maps, Waze and other apps that guide you to reach your destination even if you don’t know the route.
Many have tested and Android Auto has better navigation than Apple CarPlay. Well, it might be different in different regions. The navigation includes Routes, Real-time Alerts, parking, charging stations or anything else you can find on Google Maps.
Google Assistant: This is one of the main features of Android Auto that allows users to enjoy all the features of Android Auto without having to take their hands off the steering wheel. Even some Cars have built-in buttons on the steering wheel to launch Google Assistant and Siri. As you know, Google Assistant is used all over the world and it understands many languages easily which makes it special.
Communication: We all keep our cell phones mainly for Communication and this can be dangerous if we use cell phones while driving. And Android Auto also takes care of this while driving. It keeps you updated with the latest notifications and calls so that you can stay focused on driving. You can make calls either by touch or using Google Assistant.
Enjoy Music: Android Auto supports many Music apps like Spotify, Google Play Music, YouTube Music and more. You can use Google Assistance to play tracks, albums, radio, reading newsand play podcasts or your favorite audiobook. Make sure the app must be installed on your Android phone.
Wireless Connectivity: What if you forgot to bring the USB cable, don’t worry you can connect your phone wirelessly with your Car stereo system. For this feature to work, you need an Android phone with Android 11 or later and 5GHz WiFi support. Car or Stereo must also have Bluetooth feature for wireless connection. Here are the detailed points for Android versions that support wireless connection:
- Android 11 or later version
- Pixel and Samsung phones with Android 10 or above
- Samsung Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, or Note 8, with Android 9.0 or later
Easy Control: The new version of Android Auto comes with a very simple user interface just like using an Android Tablet. All app icons will be available on Android Auto home screen which you can open and close by touch or voice command.
Android Auto is a useful tool because it keeps us from crashing. If you have a car with dashboard and Android phone, then you should give it a try. Though not perfect, at least it can still amaze you with some amazing features.
