Nine Android Auto settings sit one menu deep and stay off until you find them. The last one lets you hold a real back-and-forth with your car.
Turn on Show quick controls for apps in Android Auto settings on your phone. Media controls and turn-by-turn directions stay visible inside full-screen apps.
An app vanishing from the launcher is usually your phone saving battery. In phone battery settings, switch off Put unused apps to sleep to keep it there.
Google's help pages confirm you can ask Gemini to summarize your messages, not just read them out. Useful when a group chat piles up mid-drive.
While navigating, tap Start then Report in Google Maps to flag a crash, slowdown, police or object on the road. You must be signed in to your Google account.
Tired of incident prompts? Open Maps on the car screen, tap Settings, scroll to Alert options and switch them off. They are on by default.
In Maps, tap Search then Categories to pick fuel, charging, food or parking from a list. No keyboard, and it works while the car is moving.
Bold text and outline text, both set on your phone, carry into the car. Outline adds a contrasting background so labels stay legible in direct sun.
Android Auto lists remove animations as an accessibility setting on your phone. It strips the sliding transitions that pull your eyes off the road.
That phrase, or Hey Google, let's talk live, opens Gemini Live: an open conversation for brainstorming or working through something on a long drive.
Most of these take under a minute and stay set. Google Maps on Android Auto is changing fast this year, too.