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Tech News
Android Auto, used by roughly 250 million people worldwide, sometimes drops apps from its launcher without explanation. This typically happens because a phone's battery optimization feature deactivates the app in the background rather than removing it entirely. Users can restore hidden apps or manually hide unwanted ones through their device settings in just a few steps.
The developer of the Android Auto app Xtream Player (formerly Fermata Xtream) released version 1.6.0, adding an experimental feature that lets users send videos from their phone directly to their car screen. The update also introduces a Winamp-inspired music visualizer with nine styles, available to both free and premium users.
Bentley let journalists ride in a heavily disguised preproduction version of its upcoming 2027 Torcal, an electric SUV built on the same platform as the electrified Porsche Cayenne. The vehicle features artificial exterior body panels and interior coverings to hide its true design, and despite being smaller than the Bentayga, it offers a notably spacious cabin and refined ride quality using off-the-shelf two-chamber air suspension.
TiVo is retiring its free SkipMode feature, which lets users jump over commercials with one button or automatically on newer devices. Starting November 2, 2026, that functionality moves into a paid add-on called Premium Auto Commercial Skip, offered first as a 30-day free trial before a monthly fee kicks in. Manual skipping via the 30-second skip or fast-forward buttons will remain free and unaffected.
A review of wireless Android Auto examines how the cable-free setup pairs automatically once a car starts, freeing up cabin space and removing the hassle of plugging in a phone each trip. However, it notes that going wireless increases battery drain, can cause noticeable heat buildup on longer drives, and depends heavily on both phone hardware and vehicle compatibility, particularly in older cars.
TiVo will discontinue its free one-button SkipMode feature on November 2, 2026, replacing it with a paid add-on called Premium Auto Commercial Skip. Customers will get a 30-day free trial starting in November before being charged an as-yet-undisclosed monthly fee to keep automatic or one-tap ad-skipping. Manual options like the 30-second skip and fast-forward will remain free.
Honda's Prologue EV is essentially a rebadged Chevrolet Blazer EV, built on the same GM underpinnings but sold with a key difference: it retains Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, which GM stripped from its own EVs in favor of a Google-built Android Automotive OS. This near-identical pairing of vehicles, one with phone mirroring and one without, has effectively created an unplanned real-world test of how much consumers value that feature.
Rockstar Games and Miami-Dade county's mayor's office are reportedly discussing a marketing tie-in that would rebrand parts of the county to resemble Grand Theft Auto 6's fictional Vice City, according to Rock Paper Shotgun and Axios. Proposed elements include airport signage and baggage displays, branded transit skytrains, a dockyard installation modeled on the game's Port Gellhorn, a classic-car 'Vice City Motor Fest,' murals, wrapped buses, and library programs with GTA-themed cards and recording gear. Nothing has been formally approved, and the county sheriff has publicly opposed the plan, citing the game's depiction of crime.
Sideloading lets Android Auto users add apps Google hasn't approved, including video-capable YouTube clients, bypassing the platform's official restrictions. This method skips Google's security vetting, and Google itself notes that sideloaded apps carry over 50 times more malware than apps from the Play Store. Google plans to require developer identity verification for sideloaded apps starting in late 2026 to curb these risks.
Security guidance highlights that leaving Bluetooth constantly active exposes phones to attacks like bluebugging and bluesnarfing, where nearby hackers exploit open connections. Recommended precautions include turning Bluetooth off when not needed, setting it to hidden rather than discoverable mode, unpairing phones from rental or sold cars, and disabling features like Android Auto's automatic activation or the iPhone's Live Listen tool.
Android Auto users noticing sudden volume dips are likely experiencing 'audio ducking,' a feature since Android 8.0 that temporarily lowers media volume to let notification sounds like texts come through clearly. A less common cause is Android 14's hearing safety feature, which automatically reduces volume if loud audio plays for extended periods to protect users' hearing.
MapQuest is rolling out an experimental version of its navigation app for Android Auto, letting drivers view its maps on car dashboard screens instead of Google Maps or Waze. The move follows a surge in downloads after the company declined to rename Lake Ontario as 'Lake America' following a Trump administration directive. MapQuest also confirmed CarPlay support is coming soon for iOS users, and the app is testing crowdsourced reporting of accidents and police activity.