If you like to stutter while traveling, you’ll likely love the next Android Auto update – with the promised redesign that seems ready to go live based on a new leak.
Google has been teasing another major update to Android Auto for a while now, already revealing that it focuses on creating a reactive setup that will allow you to see multiple apps on your screen at once – even on a smaller monitor.
Currently, only cars with ultra-wide monitors can use the Android Auto split screen (which shows the map, media controls and news alerts simultaneously), but the “Coolwalk” update will bring this feature to compatible car displays of all shapes and sizes.
However, despite the fact that the update is announced for June, July or August, it has not yet materialized. To make matters worse, Google didn’t provide an updated release window, leaving us uncertain when the update would come.
Hopefully it’s not far off (and you can use it even today) according to new evidence posted on Reddit by u / mynamesjeffffffs. On r / subreddit AndroidAuto (opens in a new tab), showed a new Android Auto update running on their car’s 7-inch monitor. Mynamesjeffffffs was able to access the updates by rooting his Android smartphone – a process that gives the user administrator rights and access to blocked features.
In the photos shared on Reddit, we can see the car map proudly displayed next to the music controls, allowing Mynamesjeffffffs to play, pause or skip Bruno Mars’ It Will Rain without having to hide the clues.
As this is not an officially released version of Android Auto, there is a chance we will see some changes, but what Mynamesjefffffs is showing matches what Google was promising.
The root of the problem
Before going over and rooting your device to access the new Android Auto features, we recommend that you be careful.
While rooting your device gives you complete control of your Android phone, it also gives you the ability to ruin everything. If you adjust the wrong file or accidentally install something you shouldn’t (like malware), your phone may stop working.
Besides, you may find that a few apps just won’t work on rooted devices. Google Pay and most banking apps in particular cannot be opened on rooted devices due to malware concerns, and similar restrictions may exist in other apps that you rely on.
Fortunately, the Mynamesjeffffffs post shows that Android Auto’s redesign is already working really well, so we expect it won’t be long before we can try it out without risking damaging our smartphones.
While we’re waiting for an update, we’d recommend checking out some of the best Android apps that you can download in 2022 to get more out of your phone without rooting it.