Google released a new update to the “Android Auto” application, version 16.3, and it began to gradually spread to users of the system around the world through the App Store.
Although this update does not include radical changes noticeable to users, it reveals future features of features that may bring about a qualitative shift in the experience of using the system inside vehicles in the coming period.
As is typical with app updates, it may take several weeks for it to reach the entire user base before it becomes available to everyone.
Fixes and improvements:
Technical reports indicate that the new update does not provide clear fundamental changes in the design of the user interface or in the daily features available. However, it will likely include some bug fixes and performance and stability improvements, which is typical of phased app updates.
Android Auto aims to simplify the use of smartphone applications while driving, by providing an easy user interface and large buttons, in addition to voice commands supported through Google Assistant, allowing drivers to access navigation services, play music, and manage text messages without distracting them from the road.
Future features:
Despite the limited apparent changes, analysis of the new version revealed references to features under development that may soon arrive in Android Auto. The most prominent of these features is the support for video applications within the system, which may allow applications such as “YouTube” to run when the car is stopped or under certain circumstances.
Indications also indicate that Google is also working on adding an option to switch between light and dark modes in the interface, along with some other improvements that may include controlling the radio or some car functions directly through the system.
Big updates awaited:
Observers believe that these minor updates pave the way for the launch of a larger package of features in the near future, perhaps within a comprehensive update of the system inside the cars.
As the development process for Android Auto continues, Google is striving to transform it into a more integrated platform that allows drivers to control more car functions and various applications through one easy-to-use screen while driving.
