(Image credit: Future)
The next generation of Android Auto was announced at the Android Show, and I got to properly test it at Google I/O. In short: Apple CarPlay feels washed in comparison — let me explain.It takes the car from simply being something you go from Point A to Point B in, and adds an additional layer of making it a central hub for navigation, productivity on-the-go and entertainment. And with Gemini thrown in, Cars with Google built-in just took an evolutionary agentic AI step too.On-the-go
(Image credit: Future)It all starts with the biggest update to Google Maps in over a decade — Immersive Navigation provides a nice 3D view with a huge increase in details like lanes, traffic lights and stop signs. Being able to see everything with greater clarity like this is a huge step forward for getting around.
(Image credit: Future)Then there’s the multi-widget layout of the new Material 3 Expressive design, which creates a really nice, refined UI for the car and multiple app widgets for quick glance interactions.Top it all off with Gemini and even agentic actions like ordering a meal on Doordash for when you get home (and even adjusting Google Home controls), and it simplifies the idea of multitasking while you drive with the power of your voice — all in a way that Apple CarPlay has never been able to do.Stuck in trafficImage 1 of 2(Image credit: Future)But if there’s one thing I’ve learnt while out here at Google’s campus, it’s that you spend most of your time in California stuck in traffic not really doing much at all. The standstills are painful, and if you’re in an EV, you could be spending up to 30 minutes sat in your car waiting for it to charge.Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.That’s where the redesigned audio experience in apps like Spotify come in, and most importantly, support for full HD video up to 60 FPS on the center console. Throw in Dolby Atmos support and the surround sound experience was beefy and all-encompassing. But of course, this is only when you throw the car in park — once you start driving, that video vanishes in favor of an audio-only overlay.Given the explosion in video podcasting on YouTube, I can see this being a hugely-adored feature for the moments you’re parked in traffic for the full visual experience, and switching on the fly to audio when you start crawling forward.Your own personal car butler
