We’re actually just a few hours away from the beginning of New Year celebrations around the globe, and as I used to be driving house earlier right now, I could not assist however take a look at Android Auto and battle to recollect the updates the applying obtained in 2023.
While the largest replace is the obvious one (and I’ll discuss it in element in a number of seconds), it is clear that 2023 did not convey too many adjustments to the Android Auto world.We do know that massive issues are coming to Android Auto customers, together with telephone wallpaper syncing, cellular system OEM icon assist, and a disconnect button for wi-fi connections, however the manufacturing channel barely obtained any adjustments this yr.Aside from the largest transformation of Android Auto, that’s. Its identify is Coolwalk, and its rollout was obtained with a lot enthusiasm by customers worldwide.The Coolwalk rolloutPhoto: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
While it technically began rolling out in December 2022, Google formally introduced it in January this yr after lacking the unique launch goal by roughly six months.The search big wished to launch Coolwalk in the summer time of 2022, but it surely wanted extra time to shine the interface and put together it for prime time.Coolwalk began displaying up for customers in the manufacturing channel in late 2022, with the rollout gaining tempo starting in January. Google used a server-side change to allow the brand new characteristic for Android Auto customers, and ready for the replace was typically a irritating, painful, and annoying expertise that many hated.Google by no means acknowledged the broad availability of Coolwalk, however everyone operating Android Auto obtained the brand new interface by the summer time. Internally, Google thought-about the Coolwalk rollout full in June.What’s Coolwalk?Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
Google has by no means referred to the brand new interface as “Coolwalk,” however the inside codename ultimately grew to become the identify everyone used to explain the replace.Compared to the earlier Android Auto interface, Coolwalk introduces a brand new display screen whose function is to divide the UI into a number of playing cards. If you used the CarPlay Dashboard, you in all probability discovered Coolwalk very acquainted.Each card on the display screen is assigned to a sure app class, particularly navigation, music gamers, and telephone calls. It’s a intelligent method to have multiple app on the display screen, whatever the show’s dimensions, decision, and side ratio.Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
Infotainment models sporting a portrait orientation additionally obtained a climate card to show the present temperature and circumstances. Google promised to look into methods to convey the identical card to panorama screens, however the replace by no means landed.Coolwalk utterly reworked the best way we use Android Auto, because it’s now extra handy to maintain a number of apps on the identical display screen always.I sometimes run Waze facet by facet with Spotify, so I can see my route and the enjoying track by simply glancing on the display screen. Coolwalk eliminates the necessity for toggling between apps, so general, it reduces the motive force’s distraction. Users who wish to change to full-screen mode can simply faucet the app and let it change from the Coolwalk view to utilizing the complete display screen.All massive apps have been up to date to assist Coolwalk, together with Google Maps, Waze, Spotify, YouTube Music, and Sygic’s GPS Navigation.It does not imply the work on Coolwalk needs to be thought-about full. Coolwalk often looks like a piece in progress, together with in the case of climate data. The standing bar on the prime of the display screen has been eliminated, with all data however climate information moved to the underside. The lack of climate particulars is extra irritating than it appears at first look, and regardless of Google promising to handle the issue, we’re nonetheless right here almost a yr later and not using a method to see the present temperature on the Android Auto display screen (except we run devoted climate apps).The “different” updatesPhoto: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
While Coolwalk was almost the one notable replace obtained by Android Auto in 2023, Google additionally shipped a number of associated refinements to enhance the expertise behind the wheel.Two of essentially the most notable are associated to Google Maps.First, Android Auto customers additionally obtained the controversial colour palette replace that makes the whole lot on Google Maps a multitude. Google Maps now makes use of new colours when exploring the maps, and the identical configuration landed on Android Auto and CarPlay, generally making it exhausting to see important data, such because the prompt and the alternate routes.The Google Maps interface replace is already dwell for all customers, so you possibly can’t return should you do not prefer it. It’s in all probability a matter of time till everyone will get used to it, however there is no doubt the method is difficult and irritating. I nonetheless have a tough time observing the highlighted route when utilizing Google Maps, so I hope the search big will discover a method to make the route extra readable.Second, Google Maps additionally obtained a quiet replace to save lots of the parking location when operating on Android Auto. If you navigate to a location and might’t discover a parking place in entrance of the deal with, Google Maps can save the parking spot once you shut down the engine. If you possibly can’t work out why that is such a giant deal, all of it comes all the way down to a constant expertise with Google Maps.Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
If you could stroll from the automotive to the deal with you configured in Google Maps for navigation, the applying can provide step-by-step strolling instructions to the doorway. When you get again to the automotive, Google Maps can help you as you stroll in direction of the automobile.Bigger issues are coming to Android Auto customers in 2024, together with the options talked about above and probably different goodies the search big is quietly engaged on. The firm doubtless used 2023 for an interface replace, with 2024 to witness the debut of a characteristic overhaul. Fingers crossed for the Android Auto transformation to proceed, particularly as a result of carmakers have began investing in software program, as they wish to flip the infotainment right into a money-making machine.In this new world, Android Auto and CarPlay may now not have a spot except they turn into must-have tools, in which case prospects would give carmakers no choice however to proceed providing them in their future fashions.
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