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Android Auto, the Google interface normally projected onto a car's dashboard display, can be run on an old Android tablet using third-party receiver apps instead of an actual vehicle. The phone handles all the processing, so even an aging tablet that struggles with regular apps can display Android Auto's simplified maps, music and messaging layout.
MapQuest launched a new 'Surveillance' layer this week that marks the locations of automatic license plate readers from Flock Safety, Motorola Solutions, Genetec, Axon and several other manufacturers. Users can enable it via the app's Layers menu, and tapping a marker reveals the camera type and exact coordinates. The company has not disclosed how it sources this location data.
MapQuest has introduced a new toggleable map layer that displays locations of outdoor surveillance cameras and license plate readers, including devices from Flock, Motorola Solutions, Genetec, Axis Communications, Axon and several other manufacturers. The feature sits alongside existing traffic and incident layers in the app.
A new Android Auto 18 beta has appeared, revealing a redesigned user interface alongside references to deeper Gemini AI personalization and updated font technology. The changes were spotted in the beta code rather than announced formally by Google.
A technology explainer outlines why smartphones running CarPlay or Android Auto often heat up during drives. Contributing factors include wireless charging, direct sunlight or heater vents, simultaneous use of GPS navigation, streaming audio, and background apps, plus the combined load of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and cellular radios running at once in wireless setups.
Google has replaced Google Assistant with Gemini in its Google Built-in infotainment platform, now live across sixteen car brands. New features include AI-enhanced Google Maps with real-time traffic and EV routing, voice control over messages and email, playlist creation, food ordering, and a camera-enabled Gemini Live mode for discussing surroundings. The rollout began earlier this summer with Android Auto before expanding to automakers including Honda, Chevrolet and Volvo.
Owners of foldable phones say they cannot place outgoing calls through Android Auto when their devices are closed, with one user receiving a prompt to 'flip open to continue.' Reports on Reddit and in Google and Motorola support forums indicate incoming calls still work fine, and several affected users say the problem began after they started using Gemini. Google and Motorola representatives have been gathering details from affected users but have not confirmed a cause.
MapQuest has launched beta support for Android Auto, extending its mapping app to in-car displays on the platform. The move follows a surge in MapQuest's popularity after it kept the name 'Lake Ontario' unchanged while Apple and Google altered references under pressure from President Trump, with MapQuest saying usage rose 50-fold and downloads topped 1.5 million.
Users have reported Amazon's Alexa assistant getting stuck repeating the word 'la' for several minutes before stopping, according to posts shared over the past month. This follows an earlier incident in which Alexa reportedly made unsettling growling sounds. Amazon has not yet confirmed the cause, and Android Authority says it has contacted the company for comment.
App updates on iOS and Android frequently patch security flaws, fix bugs and add features, but auto-update toggles don't always catch everything. Automatic updates can stall or fail, and may not always reach devices immediately, as seen with Android Auto requiring manual updates at times.
Users running Android 10 on phones like the Galaxy Note 9, Galaxy S9, and Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact are reporting in-car warnings that their devices will soon lose Android Auto support. The messages appear during wired connections and state the phone cannot update to the Android version Android Auto will require going forward. Google has not announced any change, and its support pages still list Android 9 Pie as the minimum for wired Android Auto.
Android Authority found a work-in-progress Gemini interface redesign inside Android Auto app version 17.9.664004, which it enabled to preview. The new animation adopts Google's Neural Expressive design style with dots around the Gemini interface, spanning the full screen width with Live and close buttons on either side, replacing the current subtle glow indicator.