I wish Android Auto had these 4 CarPlay features
It’s been almost a decade since I’ve used Android Auto for some time. After recently trying out an Android phone as a daily driver, I was reintroduced to the new version of Android Auto and quickly wanted to switch back to CarPlay.
An easier-to-use app drawer
Pages simply make more sense than scrolling.
The app drawer on Android Auto seems much less intuitive than Apple’s CarPlay version. With CarPlay, I can swipe from page to page and the icons always land in the exact same place on a grid.
With Android Auto, it’s a traditional scrolling experience where icons can be half on the page and half off. Depending on how much you scroll, the icon may land in a different location, meaning muscle memory may not be a factor here.
Really, that’s my biggest problem: muscle memory. I memorized where the Maps button is on CarPlay, for example. It’s an integral part of me because it helps me keep my eyes on the road when I’m driving. However, with Android Auto, I feel like I’m constantly fumbling and having to look at the screen (when stopped for safety reasons) instead of being able to just remember where an app is.
A way to disable For You without disabling half of Android Auto
No, I don’t want to see the headlines in the car.
When using Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, I generally like to stay on the dashboard screen. Using the dashboard shows me the map, next turn and media controls all in one place.
On CarPlay, you can disable widgets entirely by turning off Siri Suggestions. This may seem like overkill, but on my dashboard I want nothing more than a map and media controls. I never want to see calendar events, HomeKit commands, or anything else: just show me the basics.
On Android Auto, it’s a different story. The For You section doesn’t seem to have any real way to be completely disabled. There appear to be methods to reduce the information contained there, but I’ve done quite a bit of research on how to disable For You and haven’t found any real way to do it.
From my research, this actually seems to be a pretty big point of contention in the Android community. Many users are frustrated with the For You section, and rightly so.
Google really needs to fix this and make it so you can simplify the dashboard on Android Auto. A simple dashboard will lead to a less distracted driver.
Photo descriptions read to you
It’s good to know if it’s a photo of a dog or a car accident.
It may seem simple, but Siri via CarPlay will read photographic descriptions of messages you receive. Instead of hearing “So-and-so sent you a picture,” Siri will describe the picture by voice.
The description isn’t always 100% accurate, but it’s usually enough to give me an idea of what the image depicts. Why is this important? If Siri describes a picture of a cut on an arm and the photo is from my wife, I should probably stop when it’s safe to do so and look at the photo myself to see what’s happening and if I need to do anything. If the photo is described as a car accident by my best friend and my wife is in the car, she can take my phone to check it and see what happened.
Surprisingly, Google, even with Gemini, doesn’t offer this feature yet. I imagine this is a feature that isn’t too far away, but it’s still surprising that it’s not something Android Auto offers yet.
Better not to disturb while driving, focus options
Deep integration is exactly what Apple is known for.
I rely heavily on Apple’s Focus modes every day. I have work, church, dating, sleep, and a few other modes of focus that I use throughout the week. Then there’s Driving Focus mode, a mode I don’t use often, but am happy to exist as it exists within the Apple ecosystem.
Apple’s Driving Focus Mode can communicate with individual apps what your current focus state is, and apps can change how they work based on that. It also integrates deeply into the operating system in other ways, showing friends or family who text you that you’re driving instead of just in normal focus mode, for example.
Android has a no-disturb driving mode, but it’s just not as integrated as Apple’s. Most of Android’s focus modes are glorified “Do Not Disturb” modes, and they stop there. Google needs to do a better job integrating focus modes deeper into the operating system and allowing the system and third-party apps to monitor when you’re in focus mode to change how they work based on your settings.
My first in-car infotainment upgrade was Android Auto. I bought the Pioneer AVH-4100NEX almost a decade ago and initially used it extensively with Android Auto before switching to Apple CarPlay a few years later.
Now, returning to Android Auto after so long, I see so many things Google could do better at – and I hope they do. Even if you’re a die-hard Android fan, you can admit that there are some things Google could do better with Android Auto. Not only would this make Android Auto easier to use, but it would also be safer for drivers on the road.
Hopefully, Google will fix these issues (and more) in future Android updates.
