What is Android Auto? This is what you need to know

• Android Auto is a platform found in many modern cars that gives you access to your Android phone in the car infotainment system using hands-free voice commands.
• You can also access many of your favorite Android apps in your car with Android Auto.
• Here you will find everything you need to know about Android Auto, including the phones and car models in which it is available.
• Visit the Business Insider Technical Reference Library for more stories.

Safety advocates frequently warn of the dangers of using mobile devices while driving. Android Auto is Google’s effort to allow you to use your Android apps more safely and conveniently while in your car. It is a software platform found in many cars that allows you to sync your car’s infotainment screen with your phone and use key aspects of Android while driving.

How Android Auto works

Android Auto is available as a feature in many cars and in premium car stereo upgrades. If your car has Android Auto, you can connect it to your phone with a USB cable. When you do, the Android Auto interface appears on the car’s infotainment screen.

The main features of Android Auto include:

• Google Maps navigation: Because Google Maps relies on your Google account, your car can easily take you to destinations that you have searched on your computer or used previously on your phone. You can use voice commands to create routes, receive real-time traffic alerts, and add waypoints along your route.
• Telephone calls and sending texts: Android Auto turns your phone into a hands-free communication tool; You can listen to text messages read aloud and reply with your voice. You can also make calls using voice commands.
• Google Assistant: You can invoke “Hey, Google” to do almost anything you would normally use the Google Assistant for. You can ask general questions that Google will investigate for you, set navigation destinations, make calls, and read your text messages aloud. It is always available when you drive.
• Your favorite Android apps: You are not limited to a handful of Android Auto features; many applications also work with the service. You can use Waze instead of Google Maps, for example, listen to music with apps like Spotify, iHeartRadio, and Deezer, use Audible for audiobooks, choose from a host of podcasting apps, and more. Android Auto is also compatible with many messaging apps, including WhatsApp, Kik, Facebook Messenger, and many others.

What Android phones are compatible with Android Auto?

Most modern Android phones run Android Auto. You must have Android 6 or later and have a working data plan, because the phone will need to have internet access to function properly. If you have Android 10 or later, you won’t even have to install anything, but older phones may need to install the Android Auto app first. You will also need to connect your phone to the car via USB. (There are also a handful of premium car stereos from Pioneer, JVC, and Kenwood that connect wirelessly.)

Which cars work with Android Auto

Now there are dozens of cars that come with Android Auto built in, either at the entry level or as part of an upgrade package. In many cases, automakers choose to implement both Android Auto and Apple’s Car Play, so you can get similar features regardless of the type of car you have.

There are compatible models from brands like Acura, Audio, BMW, Buick, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Volkswagen, and many others. For a complete list of car makes and models compatibility, you can visit Google’s list of Android Auto compatible vehicles and stereos.

You can also use Android Auto for phone screens

If your car isn’t Android Auto compatible and you don’t want to upgrade your stereo to an aftermarket model that includes Androids Auto, you’re not completely out of luck. You can install Android Auto for phone screens to get an Android Auto-like experience on your phone. If you mount your phone on a mount in your car, you can use the app for navigation, calls and text messages, as well as music and podcasts, all hands-free, reducing potential distractions from picking up or touching the phone.