Google's essential app for your car

March 29, 2023
9 / 10

If you're one of those people that do quite a few miles every day sitting behind the wheel, whether due to work reasons or simply because you love driving, you have to download Android Auto Android, as it's the application of this standard developed by Google with which you can integrate and extend the functions of the mobile operating system to your car. Thus, you'll be rewarded with a much more comfortable and safe driving experience, in which you won't have to take your eyes off the road to answer and make calls, reply to SMS, interact with your contacts via instant messaging, get indications to reach your destination, listen to music or read your emails. With Android Auto APK, you can do all the latter by means of voice commands or using the controls built into your car's driving wheel.

Transform your phone into a control panel compatible with your car.

Applications compatible with Android Auto APK

As you've probably imagined, the first applications compatible with Google Auto are those developed by the guys at Mountain View, but they've gradually incorporated other third-party apps to make the experience as complete as possible. These are some of the apps that you can control from the interface of this software:

  • Google Allo
  • Google Maps
  • Google Hangouts
  • Google Play Music
  • Waze
  • Spotify
  • WhatsApp Messenger
  • Telegram
  • Facebook Messenger
  • Skype
  • Amazon Music
  • Kik Messenger
  • WeChat
  • TuneIn Radio
  • Podcast Republic
  • Audible

But when is Android Auto out? Is it already available?

Yes, it's been out since 2014 so you can already use this platform developed by Google in any car. Previously, at least until the release of version 2.0, it only worked with compatible models (we're talking about over 300 types of cars from some of the most important manufacturers in the world of the likes of Nissan, Audi, Opel, Peugeot, Mazda, Volkswagen, SEAT, etc.) but it can now be used in any car with the only requirement of having a mobile device that runs on Android 5.0 or above.

How does this Android Auto work and how to use it?

You don't require your car to have any kind of touchscreen to be able to interact with this platform's mobile app, as your very own smartphone or tablet will act as the console. For such purpose, there are two ways of using the application in your car, depending on whether it's compatible or not:

  1. For compatible cars: connect your phone through a USB cable to the car's charger, being able to use both voice commands and on-wheel controls.
  2. For incompatible cars: the application will still work but only by means of your voice and not the built-in car controls.

In any of the two cases, once you start the application, the aspect of your phone's interface will change completely making it more simple, comfortable, and safe to be used on the road, with a card-based system. For such purpose, you first have to grant permission for the app to access to different sections of your phone such as your music library, your contact list, your messages and your calls, and then enable the app's notifications.

Regarding how and where to download Android Auto Android, it's an application the APK of which you can find on the Play Store. You won't need to look for any kind of store specialized in car apps, it's the same store as always that you can access from our download button.

What's new in the latest version

  • Improved Don't Disturb function.
  • Dark mode regardless of the phone's chosen interface.
  • Bug fixes and other improvements.

Requirements and additional information:

  • Minimum operating system requirements: Android 8.0.
Antony Peel

A Telecommunications Engineer, chance led me to the translation industry, where after a few years, I discovered another side of the world of technology while translating what others were writing about mobile applications and software. That...

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