Google set to kill off Android Auto mobile app

Google has revealed it will shut down its Android Auto mobile app and is redirecting users to instead use its Assistant Driving Mode.

The app will shut down with the release of Android 12, the next generation of Google’s Operating System (OS).

However, Android Auto will continue to be available for cars compatible with the service.

Google confirmed the shutdown in a statement to 9to5Google on 17 August.

“For the people who use Android Auto in supported vehicles, that experience isn’t going away,” it said.

“For those who use the on-phone experience (Android Auto mobile app), they will be transitioned to Google Assistant driving mode.”

Google added it did not have any further details to share at the time.

Which Android Auto app is Google shutting down?

Launched in 2015, the Android Auto platform lets drivers project mobile apps and services in their vehicles from their phones.

This includes popular apps such as Google Maps, Spotify, and WhatsApp.

In 2019, Google launched a mobile version of the app for users who did not have a compatible vehicle. This is the app Google intends to shut down with the release of Android 12.

The alternative is a new Driving Mode in Google Assistant. The mode features a voice-forward dashboard layout that presents drivers with information such as navigation, media, and messaging.

You can check out a demonstration of Google Assistant’s Driving Mode below:

The mode launched in select countries in April as part of an early preview rollout.

It is available to Android users in English in Australia, Great Britain, India, Ireland, and Singapore.

Featured image: Unsplash/Sean D

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