(Credit: Will Greenwald)
LAS VEGAS—The latest verison of Android Auto adds some intriguing features to newer cars, and we got to check them out here at CES on a Polestar 3 and Ford Mustang Mach-E.
First, Android Auto is getting upgrades for EVs, which nervous range-watchers should appreciate. Google Maps will offer estimates of what your vehicle’s battery level will be by the time you reach your destination, and highlight charging locations along the way. These EV-specific features will come to the Ford Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning “in the coming months,” with more Android Auto-equipped EVs after.
For a more low-key and readily available upgrade, Google Maps on Android Auto can now load up trips that you plan on your phone in cars that already have Android Auto.
The Polestar 3 and Mustang Mach-E used to demo the new Android Auto experience were probably selected because they’re both equipped with fairly massive center dashboard touch screens: 14.5 inches for the Polestar and 15.5 inches for the Mustang.
When Android Auto is updated, it will effectively turn these screens into fully functional Android tablets. The app selection on the platform is broadening with an emphasis on entertainment, with the addition of Crunchyroll and PBS Kids. (I also saw Amazon Prime Video, MGM+, Tubi, and YouTube on a demo system.)
The Weather Channel app, which is now available for cars with Google built-in, sounds more generally useful for drivers. It will give weather alerts and forecasts from the Android Auto dashboard, along with a “Trip View” radar to keep an eye on weather conditions.
Chrome will also be available directly on the Android Auto screen, with the browser launching in beta on some Polestar and Volvo vehicles immediately.
The Android Auto demos I saw were hands-off, but they showed the new features convincingly enough. An easily available web browser sounds handy if you’re looking for a location based on vague information Google Maps can’t manage, and more weather information is always useful.
Entertainment is more dubious; a big screen in the center of the dashboard playing video seems like an invitation for driver distraction. It’s great for back-seat entertainment systems, but I’m wary about watching anime in the front seat. In a blog post, Google positions the offering as a way to kill time while you're not driving—"parked waiting for your kids at school pickup," for example.
The huge touch-screen system itself is a bit worrying from an ergonomics perspective as well, but that’s more a general high-end car design question than Android Auto specifically. The Polestar 3 has a completely flat screen that doesn’t offer any real feedback, but it at least has a physical control knob in the center console for tactile control.
I was also relieved to see that the Mustang Mach-E has a big knob right in the middle (near the bottom) of the touch screen. In fact, the lower third of the screen is dedicated to vehicle-specific controls designated by the manufacturer, with much bigger buttons around the dial.
If you want all of these new Android Auto features, you might want to shop for a new car, probably a Ford, Polestar, or Volvo EV. Google also announced that Lincoln and Nissan models with Android Auto are coming out later this year, and Porsche is planned for the future.