Android Auto is one of Google’s many projects, but it doesn’t get as much attention as Apple CarPlay. But we are here to bring your attention to it!
Even though it is never a good idea to use your smartphone while driving, we can’t deny that they are handy for things like listening to music.
Moreover, some other helpful features are getting turn-by-turn directions and making important phone calls. Here, Android Auto from Google comes in handy.
Best Android Auto Apps in 2024
Most apps that work with Android Auto can be put into several categories. We’ll take a look at some of the best driving apps for Android Auto that you can use while driving. After this, we’ll also check out Android Auto’s customization options and how it can elevate your driving experience.
Let’s begin with the list of the best Android Auto apps you can use today.
Waze
Many people think that Google Maps is the best navigation app, but Waze’s Android Auto app has some extra features that might make you choose it over Google Maps.
This Google Maps alternative tells you about accidents, traffic, and even police officers waiting along your route to catch speeders. This information comes from other drivers.
Waze is a navigation app that tells you where to get the cheapest gas along your route. It will also reroute you automatically if you need to. If this is your first time using Waze, you can try using both Google Maps and Waze simultaneously on your Android Auto navigation system to see which one is better.
Google Maps
Now, this shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. One of the most common things people do with Google’s Android Auto system is use it for navigation.
Since Google Maps came out, you can go anywhere. If you just ask Google for directions, it will open the Google Maps app on your device and show you step-by-step directions on the screen.
The best thing about Google Maps is that you don’t even have to look at the navigation screen to get directions. It also has voice directions. If you only have room for one app on your Android Auto system, it should be Google Maps.
Scanner Radio
You can listen to police scanners in your car if you have a Scanner Radio. This lets you keep an eye out for accidents or other events that might happen while you are driving. You can avoid areas where accidents have happened and stay up to date on any emergencies in your area.
Scanner Radio is an app that tells you about traffic jams on your way to work. A few apps can do this, but Scanner Radio is the fastest because it gets its information straight from the authorities.
Some people might think it’s strange to listen to this while driving. In reality, you might find it interesting to find out what’s happening in the country’s biggest cities.
You can use Android Auto’s top scanners to find out what’s popular now. You can use the ‘Nearby Scanners’ instead if you want to hear what’s happening in your area.
OverDrive
With OverDrive, you can get free access to an extensive collection of audiobooks, making it one of the best audiobook apps around. These books are culled from over 30,000 libraries worldwide; you can borrow them to listen to while driving.
The best part is that you will never have to worry about being charged late fees because the titles will be returned on their own. Therefore, you shouldn’t be concerned about anything if you listen to their audiobooks while driving.
Spotify
Spotify is one of the most popular and successful online music services you can use today. You can listen to music from millions of artists. So, you’ll unlikely ever come across an artist whose music can’t be found on Spotify.
Spotify’s design for Android Auto is simple and clean, thanks to the app’s easy-to-use controls and interface. You can even use your voice to tell Google how to run the app.
You don’t have to pay anything to use Spotify for Android Auto to listen to music, but if you want to use more of the app’s features, you will need to subscribe to Spotify’s premium service.
Pandora
Pandora is the best music streaming service for customized music radio since it learns as you listen and continuously serves you better suggestions the more you listen to music on Pandora.
You are allowed to bypass tracks you are not interested in, in contrast to conventional radio.
You may transform Pandora into an on-demand streaming service similar to Spotify for a monthly fee of ten dollars, which will cost you an additional five dollars to eliminate the limits on skips, replays, and advertisements.
The app also includes podcasts, where you can search for and find your favorite podcasts and get tailored suggestions based on how you often listen to audio content.
Audioburst
The HARMAN Ignite Store now has the Audioburst Android Automotive app, which adds to car entertainment systems.
This app gives drivers and passengers access to the world’s most extensive searchable library of talk audio content. This makes it possible to customize the experience in ways that have never been possible.
Audioburst lets its automotive partners, like HARMAN, as well as mobile apps, websites, and connected devices, expand their offerings by using Audioburst’s content library and delivering advanced, personalized listening experiences.
The New York Times
The NYTimes app is an excellent way to keep up with what’s happening worldwide. This program does a great job of looking and feeling like an old-fashioned newspaper. With this feature of Android Auto, you can listen to the stories typically seen in the paper version of The New York Times while in your car.
The traditional crossword puzzle is included in this app as a minigame, a friendly and funny touch. While you try to think of words to fill in the blanks, you could listen to a podcast in the background. There are a vast number of audio files that you can download.
If there is important new information, you will get a “Breaking News” alert that will flash across your screen and appear in the “Notifications” section. You can always open the app and save the content to read when you’re not connected to the internet.
Pocket Casts
Every day on your way to and from work, you might have time to listen to some of your favorite podcasts. Pocket Casts is one of the best podcast apps for Android users.
It also works well with Android Auto. When you connect your phone to the Android Auto UI, you can play, pause, and go back and forth.
You can also look for new podcasts, set filters, and use Up Next queues that people have made in the past. But you’ll need to prepare these playlists before starting Android Auto. Because of this, you may still need to change your phone before you get behind the wheel.
Facebook Messenger
Even though Facebook is in a lot of trouble right now, the fact that more than a billion people use Facebook Messenger as their only messaging service doesn’t change the fact that this is true.
If you’re one of the 1 billion people who use Facebook, you can use Facebook Messenger with your Android Auto device without any problems. It works on both platforms.
As with WhatsApp, the only feature that works right now is messaging. This means that you can’t make voice or video calls with it. You’ll be notified when there are new messages, and you can listen to them by pressing the Play button.
Use the auto-responder that says, “I’m driving right now”, to let your friends know that you can’t respond right now.
It should come as no surprise that one of the messaging applications used most often by people all around the globe is WhatsApp since it also supports Android Auto.
You can use the voice assistant to read any new messages and even react to them using speech-to-text if you want to. Now, you can also avail of WhatsApp calling via Android Auto.
Pulse SMS
Don’t forget that the auto-reply feature is already built into some Android texting apps. Pulse SMS, one of our top choices, has this feature as part of its long list of options. Give it a try if your existing SMS doesn’t allow auto-responses.
To use this feature, you must open Pulse and slide out the left sidebar. Choose ‘Settings’, then scroll down the page until you get to the bottom and choose ‘Advanced Features’.
To start using this feature, go to the bottom of this menu and find the ‘Message Features section’. Click “Auto Reply Configuration” in that section. This is how you are good to go.
Autovaras
Autovaras is an app that serves as a reminder for automobiles. The application’s primary purpose is to jog your memory on any aspect of your car. The application sends notifications at the appropriate times.
For example, you will receive a notification before periodic car inspections, insurance, or road taxes expire. The Autovaras app serves as an assistant for Android Auto.
With that, we come to the end of this list of the best Android Auto apps. Now, let’s check out the various customization options in Android Auto that enable you to use these apps without a hitch.
What Can You Customize in Android Auto?
Android Auto makes it easy and safe to use your phone’s music, maps, and other features while driving. It works with many different apps and has easy-to-follow instructions made possible by Google Assistant.
If you want to take Android Auto to the next level in terms of how it works, you need to know how to make a few simple changes that will make it more useful and fit your needs.
By default, the screen of Android Auto in your car will automatically switch between bright and dark modes based on how your car is set up. If your car senses that it’s getting dark and automatically turns on the headlights, Android Auto will also switch to night mode.
You can quickly change this setting in Android Auto so that map apps always use the day or night mode, depending on your preference.
Having to manually start your music, podcast, or other media every time you get in the car might be annoying. This is especially true if you stop for a few short breaks along the way.
You can eliminate this annoyance by quickly changing a setting in Android Auto. On the Settings page for Android Auto, turn on the option to “Start music automatically”.
Whatever you were listening to in the car before you stopped will play again as soon as you put the key back in the ignition.
You can always ask Google Assistant about the weather, but it’s much easier to see it on your screen. To do this, go into your Android Auto’s settings and turn on the Weather slider. This will show the current temperature and weather conditions at the top of the Android Auto screen in the status bar section.
As it is based on weather data collected where your phone is now, it may be different from the temperature display already built into your car.
So, it’s clear that the Android operating system allows plenty of customization and personalization. But how exactly does it help when you’re on a long road trip or taking your daily drives?
How Does Android Auto Help You To Enhance Your Driving Experience?
Android Auto can make your car smarter or make smart cars feel more like home. It is easy to use, has only the most basic features, and is made to keep you from playing with your phone while driving.
There is a simple home button in one corner, and when you use a specific function, other controls, like media controls, slide down into the bottom bar.
You can talk to Google Assistant in several ways, such as by speaking to it or pressing the symbol in the top right corner of the screen. Because this works on your phone, Google Assistant can do everything it usually does.
This means you can do much more than just change the music. You can ask questions, send voice messages, and a lot more. Most of the time, Google Assistant is much better than the speaker system that comes standard with your car.
Only apps that work with Android Auto cover essential calling, navigation, and music features. So, it’s no problem if you want to use Waze to navigate around and Spotify to listen to music while using Android Auto simultaneously.
You can also listen to the radio in your car and use Android Auto to get around. You usually have to press the on-screen button to switch between the two.
Basically, even when you’re driving, you’ll be connected to the online world and your loved ones. Whether you’re making work calls or just want to entertain yourself with a podcast or music, Android Auto apps will cover every aspect of your driving experience.
Conclusion
Android Auto may not seem like a big deal to people who don’t drive at least two hours a day and are stuck in traffic for even more. But for many people, it is a feature that completely changes their game.
These apps can make Android Auto valuable and fun, making it more than just a tool.