Android Auto is getting a makeover, with Google’s phone-based infotainment platform promising swifter navigation and better use of increasingly large dashboard displays. Google announced a new version of its smartphone-powered infotainment system ahead of the company’s I/O developer conference this week. Due out this summer.
That new color palette, Google says, is designed to be easier to see while you’re driving, given the fact that most dashboards are made of darker materials. There’ll be easier to read fonts, for example, with color accents for at-a-glance recognition of important features.
The new Android Auto will take greater advantage of the screens it’s used on. Different automakers have different sizes and shapes of infotainment display: Google says Android Auto will now make better use of widescreen panels and show more information at once. That could mean a list of upcoming turn-by-turn directions, details of an ongoing call, or playback controls for your music.
The point of this refresh, according to Android Auto product manager Rod Lopez, is to “help you get on the road faster, show more useful information at a glance and simplify common tasks while driving.” So in addition to the design changes noted above, Google says the updated Android Auto can now automatically continue to play media and will also open up “your navigation app of choice” as soon as you plug your phone into the car.
