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A developer's Open Headunit app, priced under $4 on Google Play or free via GitHub, lets an aging Android tablet impersonate an Android Auto head unit, giving cars without built-in support a large touchscreen for navigation, calls and media. Testing found the setup imperfect but functional as a way to repurpose tablets that can no longer run modern apps well.
General Motors is rolling out a redesigned infotainment interface on two of its truck models that gives Apple CarPlay and Android Auto a dedicated window alongside native apps, rather than the full screen takeover typically offered by these platforms. GM has not explained why trucks are getting this treatment, only stating it wants to reduce the number of steps drivers need to navigate.
Several car manufacturers are planning to remove or reduce support for Apple CarPlay in vehicles starting in 2026, favoring proprietary infotainment systems instead. The shift is driven largely by electric vehicles, which need tighter software integration for functions like battery preconditioning and charging controls that CarPlay cannot manage as a simple phone-mirroring layer.
Google is highlighting that many persistent Android Auto connectivity problems stem not from the phone but from outdated software running on a car's infotainment system. The company recommends restarting the infotainment unit and, for aftermarket head units like Pioneer or Kenwood, checking the manufacturer's website for firmware updates.
Volvo has updated the interior of its XC40 and EX40 models with a bigger 11.2-inch touchscreen, up from 9 inches, mounted atop the dashboard rather than recessed into it. The updated software runs the latest Android Automotive build with Google's Gemini assistant, which can adjust vehicle settings, suggest restaurants with dietary details, and recommend scenic routes.
Volvo is bringing back the plug-in hybrid version of its XC40 after a three-year absence, pairing it with a refreshed exterior, new headlight and grille design, and a larger 11.2-inch infotainment screen running Google's Gemini assistant. The updated model, arriving at dealerships early next year, also adds a new sensor-based safety suite and diamond-cut wheel options in three sizes.
Apple CarPlay includes a dedicated Settings menu where drivers can adjust the interface to their preference, including switching between light, dark, or automatic display modes based on ambient light. Users can also change the background wallpaper from a set of Apple-designed options, swap between dark and clear 'Liquid Glass' icon packs, and increase text size through the Accessibility menu.
Apple's CarPlay, which mirrors iOS onto compatible car infotainment screens, is designed to reconnect automatically to a paired iPhone every time the driver gets in the vehicle. For those who prefer to skip it occasionally—whether to save battery or just take a break from the interface—there are several settings-based methods to disable that automatic reconnection without fully removing the device pairing.
A JD Power survey of 68,000 owners of 2026 model-year vehicles found that more than a third never use passenger touchscreens, while only six percent use them every time they drive. The firm also found larger screens correlated with more infotainment problems, while simple features like smart ignition and smart climate control ranked as the most valued technologies.
Ottocast makes a small USB dongle that plugs into a car's existing CarPlay port and relays the connection to an iPhone over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, eliminating the need for a cable. After an initial Bluetooth pairing and approval step, the adapter automatically reconnects to the paired iPhone each time the car starts. The interface, controls and features remain identical to standard Apple CarPlay, with no separate Ottocast software layer.
A viral TikTok video mislabeled the plastic covering on new cars' CarPlay touchscreens as a permanent screen protector, but it's actually a temporary shipping film meant to guard the display during transport and delivery. Manufacturers do not intend for drivers to keep it on long-term, since prolonged exposure to heat can cause the adhesive or plastic to melt onto the screen.
Android Auto ships with roughly a dozen app icons on its home screen by default, including tools like Adobe Acrobat and IFTTT that most drivers will never use behind the wheel. Users can trim this list and rearrange it by going to Android Auto's Customize launcher settings, keeping only essentials like navigation, calls, messaging and media playback.