Android Auto: routines, voice games, wallpaper … Google is refining its interface dedicated to the automobile

Android Auto takes advantage of several very interesting new features, including the ability to launch games with passengers.

Google continues to tweak its Android, a feature known as Android Auto. We have just discovered a handful of upcoming updates for the interface dedicated to infotainment, which should make the system easier to use and offer a little more entertainment to passengers.

Shortcuts, games and new customization features

On the interface side, Google will deploy shortcuts (or routines) to keep the features you want most accessible. For example, shortcuts can quickly take you to your contact list, bring up the Google Assistant, or even change the temperature in your home if you have a thermostat connected to your home.

For cars with a “larger screen,” Android Auto now also includes a split-screen view. When enabled, drivers can see a real-time view of Google Maps as well as multimedia controls. This obviously makes one think of the last version of CarPlay which arrived with iOS 14, it allows to display Google Maps or comes in addition to the Spotify player for example.

Don’t want your passengers to be able to read your notifications and other content while you are driving? Google also has a solution for this, there is now a privacy screen option. Note that the wallpaper is now customizable, these new wallpapers are already available from version of Android Auto 6.1. To activate them, all you have to do is go to the settings and click on “Select a wallpaper”.

And to keep passengers busy, there are also onboard games. We’re not talking about games here to look away from the road, but games that work with Google Assistant. These voice activated games such as will now work through Android Auto. You just have to launch Google Assistant to launch frenzied games.

To take advantage of these new features, consider updating Android Auto on the Play Store. Google also took advantage of the same press release to announce other new features: the scheduling of messages on Google Messages, a real dark mode on Maps and more effective password protection.