Google’s introducing a few changes to the Android Auto interface, adding a new dashboard in the process.
Using your phone while driving is, for the record, highly inadvisable, and borderline dangerous. However, considering how much of our social lives now revolve around technology, the itch to use your phone is always around. Be it the urge to reply to a message, change songs, or fiddle with the GPS, keeping one’s hands to themselves seems to be the real challenge of driving. Which, to be fair, is a habit worth some amount of criticism. Then again, sometimes using the phone does become necessary, and instead of just deactivating phones once they step a figurative foot into cars, efforts have been made towards making their usage safer. Thus, we get to the Android Auto.
Auto used to be an application of its own, but was ultimately shut down by Google. The interface and features were combined and turned into a subtype of Google Assistant. The recent tweaks to Auto’s interface are all aimed towards ensuring that drivers keep their eyes on the road as much as possible, as stated by the devs working on the project. The first of these features that we will be discussing is the introduction of “glanceable, tappable cards”. Essentially, major applications that are used while driving, such as the music player, Maps, calls, and messages, will all be featured in the form of large boxes. These can be “tapped” on while driving, thus skipping the entire need for rummaging around if someone needs to make a call or change songs. Most importantly, it means that drivers focus more of their attention towards the road.
Voice commands are also being added to Assistant, therefore making phone usage less of a hassle. For example, saying “Hey Google, let’s drive” aloud will automatically pull up the Auto interface, dashboard and all. Messages received can be read aloud by the Assistant, and therefore can have their importance gauged without stopping to go through them. Android Auto can also be synced with the infotainment screens of your respective automobile, with the display and relevant applications shifting over there, and becoming further accessible. You won’t even have to buy any attachments to stash your phone in while driving.
Ideally, one shouldn’t use their phone while driving, considering the safety regulations being broken and all that. Infotainment systems, and phone apps are getting more and more distracting with each new update, and they can lead to a driver’s reactions being slowed down. On a bad day, that’s really all it takes. Therefore, as we end our discussion about Auto and its interfaces, consider this parting sentence a word of caution, and avoid using your phone while driving.
Read next: Google Is Set To Introduce A Range Of Android Features For Increased Accessibility
Using your phone while driving is, for the record, highly inadvisable, and borderline dangerous. However, considering how much of our social lives now revolve around technology, the itch to use your phone is always around. Be it the urge to reply to a message, change songs, or fiddle with the GPS, keeping one’s hands to themselves seems to be the real challenge of driving. Which, to be fair, is a habit worth some amount of criticism. Then again, sometimes using the phone does become necessary, and instead of just deactivating phones once they step a figurative foot into cars, efforts have been made towards making their usage safer. Thus, we get to the Android Auto.
Auto used to be an application of its own, but was ultimately shut down by Google. The interface and features were combined and turned into a subtype of Google Assistant. The recent tweaks to Auto’s interface are all aimed towards ensuring that drivers keep their eyes on the road as much as possible, as stated by the devs working on the project. The first of these features that we will be discussing is the introduction of “glanceable, tappable cards”. Essentially, major applications that are used while driving, such as the music player, Maps, calls, and messages, will all be featured in the form of large boxes. These can be “tapped” on while driving, thus skipping the entire need for rummaging around if someone needs to make a call or change songs. Most importantly, it means that drivers focus more of their attention towards the road.
Voice commands are also being added to Assistant, therefore making phone usage less of a hassle. For example, saying “Hey Google, let’s drive” aloud will automatically pull up the Auto interface, dashboard and all. Messages received can be read aloud by the Assistant, and therefore can have their importance gauged without stopping to go through them. Android Auto can also be synced with the infotainment screens of your respective automobile, with the display and relevant applications shifting over there, and becoming further accessible. You won’t even have to buy any attachments to stash your phone in while driving.
Ideally, one shouldn’t use their phone while driving, considering the safety regulations being broken and all that. Infotainment systems, and phone apps are getting more and more distracting with each new update, and they can lead to a driver’s reactions being slowed down. On a bad day, that’s really all it takes. Therefore, as we end our discussion about Auto and its interfaces, consider this parting sentence a word of caution, and avoid using your phone while driving.
Read next: Google Is Set To Introduce A Range Of Android Features For Increased Accessibility
