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BMW let journalists test-drive a pre-production 2027 iX5 equipped with a new driver-assistance feature called Symbiotic Drive, which allows hands-off highway steering while letting drivers manually accelerate, brake and even stop without disengaging the system. The SUV also features a 17.9-inch angled touchscreen running a responsive infotainment system with an integrated AI voice assistant.
Spotify unveiled a fully native in-car app built directly on Google's Android Automotive operating system, debuting in Audi vehicles including the A6 e-tron, Q6 e-tron, A5, Q5, and A6. The app runs on the car's own infotainment hardware without needing a connected phone, Bluetooth, or aux cable, and Spotify now controls the entire on-screen interface rather than relying on Google's templates.
Users can now add, remove, and organize widgets for CarPlay through the Settings app on their iPhone. The process involves selecting options under General > CarPlay, enabling widget display, and choosing preferred widgets from compatible apps. Additional automation features like Smart Rotate and Widget Suggestions enhance the widget experience while driving.
Android Authority found a hidden change in the Android Auto beta that removes the navigation rail from GameSnacks, both in its main menu and while playing games. Currently GameSnacks keeps the rail visible on screen, unlike other Android Auto games such as Beach Buggy Racing, which already run full screen with swipe-down back and exit controls. The discovery follows Google's move this week to take Android Auto games out of beta and make them generally available.
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.