- EV route planning on Android Auto is getting a smart upgrade
- It’s rolling out across 350 EV makes and models in the US
- Changes to the way media autoplay works are also appearing
If you use Android Auto inside an electric vehicle, route planning just got significantly smarter and more personalized — while there are also signs that the Android dashboard is going to improve the way that audio autoplay is handled.
First up is the EV route planning, which is powered by AI and will give charging recommendations based on the make and model of your car and how much battery you’ve got left. Google says the upgrade applies to more than 350 electric vehicles with Android Auto available, across 16 brands.
While basic search for EV charging points was already available in Google Maps and Android Auto, now the software will be able to tap into what it knows about the EV you’re in to suggest where you need to recharge and when, considering the length and destination of the journey you’re about to embark on.
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Android Auto will use its AI algorithms and calculations about your vehicle’s weight and battery size to give you the best route and charging options. These details will be combined with the usual Google Maps data, including real-time information about traffic, road elevation, and weather conditions.
Autoplay prompts
To take advantage of the new EV route planning features, you first need to tell Google Maps about your car. From the app on your phone, tap your profile picture (top right), then Settings > Your vehicles to enter the details under Engine and Vehicle.
When you plot a route on the Android Auto dashboard, you’ll then be able to set your starting battery level. Google says the feature is rolling out now to models from Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, FIAT, Genesis, Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, Lexus, Lucid, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru, Toyota, and Volkswagen — though this is only in the US for now.
Our other Android Auto tidbit is something that’s been spotted by Android Police. It seems that if you quickly stop media from autoplaying on the dashboard three successive times, you’ll be asked if you want to turn autoplay off via a pop-up alert — so the next time Android Auto connects, nothing starts playing right away.
This behavior can already be controlled via Android Auto on your phone (on Pixel devices it’s under Settings > Connected devices > Connection preferences > Android Auto), but it’s a toggle switch that many users may have missed. The new prompt makes it a little easier to disable autoplay if you’d like to.
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