Alexis Kestler
Driving can be stressful enough without the constant distraction of smartphones. Glancing down to check directions or respond to notifications takes your eyes off the road and reduces reaction times. Android Auto offers a smarter, safer way to integrate your phone‘s capabilities right into your car‘s dashboard.
Android Auto projects a simplified interface onto your car‘s center screen, optimized for quick glances and voice commands. You can enjoy music, navigation, messaging and more while keeping your attention on driving.
As an avid Android user and self-proclaimed "car tech geek," I‘ve spent lots of time testing out Android Auto apps for road trips and my daily commute. In this guide, I‘ll share my top app picks across key categories to help you make the most of Android Auto.
How Android Auto Works
First, a quick overview for those new to Android Auto:
-
Connect your phone – Plug into your car‘s USB port or connect wirelessly if supported. I find the cable more reliable.
-
Launch Android Auto – Follow the setup prompts on your car‘s display. Allow requested app permissions.
-
Use apps – Open Android Auto compatible apps right on your car‘s center screen. Tap icons to switch between them.
-
Voice commands – Press the mic button on your steering wheel or say "OK Google" to issue voice commands. You can ask for directions, play music, send messages and more without looking at your phone.
Now let‘s explore some of the best Android Auto apps available across popular categories.
Top Navigation Apps for Android Auto
One of the biggest benefits of Android Auto is having turn-by-turn navigation and traffic assistance right on your car‘s display. Voice guidance means you can get to any destination without taking your eyes off the road.
Waze
As a frequent driver around Los Angeles, I rely on Waze to navigate congested highways and find shortcuts around traffic. The app crowdsources road reports from users to identify accidents, police activity and heavy congestion in real-time. When I see a long backup reported ahead, I love that Waze instantly provides alternate routes to avoid wasting time in traffic.
Waze really helps drivers collaborate to make getting around easier for everyone. The way users can report obstructions, hazardous road conditions and locate cheap gas along the way makes this a hugely valuable app. Waze is my top pick for navigation.
Waze‘s incident reports and crowdsourced traffic data help navigate congested roads (Image Credit: Waze)
Google Maps
With over 1 billion monthly active users, Google Maps has become the world‘s most popular navigation app. I mainly rely on Waze, but Google Maps is great for searching a wide range of business and attractions along your route. Voice guided navigation works very smoothly.
Google Maps has strong traffic data of its own, though not as quick to my experience as Waze‘s crowdsourced reports. But it‘s hard to beat Google Maps for locating restaurants, hotels, parks and other POIs on an unfamiliar trip. I recommend having both it and Waze on your Android Auto setup.
Google Maps makes searching for nearby attractions easy (Image Credit: Google)
Music & Podcast Apps for Endless Listening
One of my favorite aspects of Android Auto is having quick access to podcasts and Spotify playlists from my car‘s speakers. Music makes any drive more enjoyable, and podcasts provide engaging company on longer road trips.
Spotify
As an avid music fan, I rely on Spotify daily both at home and in the car. The ability to stream over 82 million tracks on demand is amazing. I love Spotify‘s personalized playlists and radio stations tailored to my tastes. Downloading songs for offline listening is a premium feature I get a lot of use from.
The Android Auto integration works flawlessly in my experience. Spotify connects each time I start the car, and I can quickly browse playlists and stations from the simplified car interface. Music discovery on the road has never been better.
Spotify is the world‘s most popular music streaming app, with over 456 million monthly active users as of Q4 2022 (Image source: Statista)
Pocket Casts
I‘ve become an avid podcast listener over the past few years, and Pocket Casts is my podcatcher of choice. I like the slick design and robust features for discovering new shows and managing my podcast list. The playback options to trim silence and boost volume aid listening on the go.
Android Auto integration means my podcast queue is ready to pick up right where I left off during my last trip. I can browse my Up Next list and resume playing the latest episodes seamlessly through the car. Recommended podcast apps with Android Auto support include Spotify and Google Podcasts as well.
Pocket Casts is my top pick for enjoying podcasts on the go (Image Credit: Pocket Casts)
Audiobook Apps Help Pass the Miles
I like to alternate between music and audiobooks for longer road trips. Getting lost in an immersive audiobook makes the highway miles fly by. Android Auto connectivity allows me to listen from where I left off last.
Audible
Audible offers the largest selection of audiobooks with over 475,000 titles on the platform. Integration with Android Auto is seamless – Audible detected when I was in the car and automatically started playing the book I had been listening to at home.
The simplified controls in Android Auto make it easy to pause, skip forward/back or adjust the narration speed as needed. I also love Audible‘s recommendations engine for discovering my next favorite book based on past listens.
Audible makes listening to audiobooks effortless in the car (Image Credit: Audible)
Libby
For checking out free audiobooks from your local library, I recommend the Libby app by OverDrive. Just enter your library card and you can browse and borrow thousands of eBooks and audiobooks. Android Auto support means you can enjoy library titles during your commute or road trips just like your owned Audible collection. Libby provides a great free alternative for audio content.
Essential News & Information Apps
Staying up-to-date with the latest news makes my drive more engaging. News radio-style apps provide bite-sized coverage through Android Auto that won‘t distract too much from driving.
NPR One
My favorite news source for the car is NPR One. It assembles a mix of segments from NPR and other public radio stations. I like starting my drive catching up on the latest headlines and interesting stories. NPR One learns from your listening habits to serve more content around topics you prefer over time.
NPR One provides a personalized news listening experience (Image Credit: NPR)
The New York Times
For a more traditional news radio experience, check out The New York Times app. You can have top articles, opinion pieces and political analysis read aloud while driving. Choose from customizable playlists like Morning Briefing and Evening Briefing to catch up on the day‘s news.
Messaging Apps Help Stay Connected
Messaging safely while driving is a key benefit of Android Auto. Incoming messages can be read aloud through your car‘s speakers and you can dictate responses to send hands-free.
WhatsApp is the most widely used messaging app globally, with over 2 billion users. Fortunately it works great with Android Auto. When a WhatsApp message comes in, I get a notification and can have it read out loud. Replying is easy using voice typing or preset quick replies.
WhatsApp makes messaging with friends easy and hands-free (Image Credit: WhatsApp)
Facebook Messenger
Facebook Messenger also facilitates safe messaging through Android Auto. Incoming messages are read aloud and include the contact name and photo for quick ID. Dictated responses work fairly well, although I find myself using quick replies more often. Overall, Messenger is great for staying in touch while driving.
Vehicle Management Apps
These apps help monitor and manage your vehicle maintenance and expenses right from Android Auto. Knowing when service is due and what repairs cost comes in handy.
Drivvo
Drivvo has become an indispensable app for me to track vehicle maintenance and costs. The features include:
- Mileage tracking and expense logging including fuel, repairs and insurance
- Maintenance reminders with notifications for upcoming service
- Digital versions of your vehicle paperwork like insurance cards and registration
Drivvo provides at-a-glance views of all your car management data. Easy Android Auto integration means I can quickly check things like my odometer reading and next oil change.
Drivvo provides robust vehicle management capabilities (Image Credit: Drivvo)
aCar
Another good option is aCar. I especially like its integration with Fuelio to automatically log gas station fill ups. The app comes loaded with maintenance schedule templates for most vehicle models. Mileage, expense tracking and reminders help optimize the cost and upkeep on your car.
Get the Most from Android Auto
Here are a few tips to take your experience with Android Auto to the next level:
-
Add voice commands – Dig into the settings of your favorite Android Auto apps to enable additional voice commands for music, messaging and navigation.
-
Enable auto-launch – Set apps like Spotify or your podcast player to automatically begin when your car starts.
-
Customize your home screen – Edit which app shortcuts appear on the Android Auto home screen for quick access.
-
Minimize distractions – Let passengers handle messages when possible. Keep interactions with Android Auto brief while driving.
-
Report bugs – If an app glitches, use the Android Auto feedback function to notify Google. This helps improve integration.
With these great apps tailored for in-car use, Android Auto makes driving more enjoyable while reducing distracting phone interactions. I hope these recommendations help you discover new apps to enhance your time on the road. Let me know if you have any favorite Android Auto apps I should check out!
