Google has just announced what it’s calling the biggest upgrade in Android Auto’s history. And yes, it includes full-screen maps that finally stretch across absolutely every pixel your car can throw at it – even if your dashboard is shaped like it was designed by someone feeling experimental on a Friday afternoon.
The update, which will roll out later this year, introduces what Google calls Immersive Navigation, alongside a refreshed interface based on the latest Android 16 design language. In plain English: it’s cleaner, more customisable, and a lot less like your phone awkwardly got shoved into your dashboard.
And it means Google Maps will properly fill your car’s infotainment display – no matter how odd the shape. That means circular screens like those in the MINI Cooper or the more architecturally ambitious hexagonal setup in the BMW iX3 will finally be used properly, instead of Android Auto just politely giving up and leaving awkward borders around the edges, making the tech actually feel like it belongs in the car.
The update also introduces customisable widgets, meaning drivers (or, more realistically, passengers at red lights) can pin things like weather, music playback, clocks or photos directly onto the home screen. It’s essentially turning Android Auto into a mini dashboard for your life.
Also, in a move that will delight passengers and slightly terrify safety regulators, Android Auto is also getting video playback support for the first time. Apps like YouTube will be supported while the vehicle is stationary, with the expectation that more streaming services such as Netflix and Disney+ could follow. Once you start driving, the system will automatically shift supported content into audio-only mode.
There’s also a smarter assistant layer coming via Google’s Gemini integration, which will let drivers ask for things like messages, navigation help, or even vaguely useful car-related questions like “will this sofa fit in the boot?” without needing to tap around menus.
On the audio side, Google is also rolling out support for immersive Dolby Atmos playback in supported vehicles, including models from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Renault, Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Skoda, Genesis, Mahindra and Tata Motors. Of course, you’ll still need a compatible streaming app like Apple Music, Tidal or Amazon Music Unlimited to actually hear it in all its spatial glory.
Interestingly, that still leaves some of Google’s own apps – like Spotify and YouTube Music – currently without Atmos support, which feels a bit like selling surround sound speakers and forgetting to plug them in.
Google isn’t just polishing Android Auto here – it’s clearly trying to make it feel like the most flexible, most modern in-car system on the market.
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