https://www.theverge.com/2021/8/20/22633755/google-android-auto-for-phone-screens-shutting-down-android-12-google-assistant-driving-mode

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Filed under:

  * Google
  * Tech
  * Transportation

Google is shutting down its Android Auto mobile app in favor of
Google Assistant

New, 19 comments

Android 12 will mark the end of the stopgap app

By Jon Porter@JonPorty Aug 20, 2021, 6:15am EDT

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[acastro_18] Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Google has confirmed it's shutting down the standalone "Android Auto
for Phone Screens" app with Android 12. Instead, anyone who wants a
driving-friendly interface for their Android phone should use the
Google Assistant driving mode, which is available within Google Maps,
or the native Android Auto interface available in select cars.

"For those who use the on phone experience (Android Auto mobile app),
they will be transitioned to Google Assistant driving mode," Google
said in a statement. "Starting with Android 12, Google Assistant
driving mode will be the built-in mobile driving experience. We have
no further details to share at this time." Google says that the
experience isn't changing for anyone using Android Auto in compatible
cars.

`"Google Assistant driving mode will be the built-in mobile driving
experience"'

Google's confirmation came after XDA Developers reported that some
users were seeing a message in the Android Auto for Phone Screens app
that said the service is "now only available for car screens" and
pointed phone users towards Google Assistant driving mode as a
replacement. Meanwhile, 9to5Google reports that the Android Auto for
Phone Screens app now says it's incompatible with Pixel devices
running Android 12.

Android Auto's app history is a little bit messy, but this is a move
that's been a long time coming. The saga started in 2019, when Google
decided to build most of Android Auto's features into Android 10 as a
system level feature, and discontinue the previously downloadable
app. That's fine for anyone with an Android Auto-compatible car, but
anyone with an older vehicle would have lost access to the
driving-friendly interface available directly on their phone. Bad
times.

Google's plan for these users was a new Google Assistant driving mode
, but this software was delayed, and despite being announced in 2019,
it only started rolling out late last year (it's subsequently
expanded internationally). That meant Google effectively needed a
stopgap measure, and the clunkily named Android Auto for Phone
Screens app was born. The Verge's Dieter Bohn did a great rundown of
the situation in 2019 if you want to learn more.

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