Android Auto is one of the best yet underrated parts of the Android ecosystem. It’s cohesive, feature-rich, and vastly improves your driving experience. While Google keeps adding new features to Android Auto, one of the ways you can get the most out of the platform is by installing new apps. Like on Android, where there’s no shortage of good apps, there are plenty on Android Auto as well. So, here are some of the best ones.
1. Spotify
Spotify needs no introduction. It’s the most popular service out and one of the best Android Auto apps. Spotify on Android Auto allows you to choose music from your library or search for new ones using the search bar. The player stays on the display, letting you skip, jump back, or use the seek bar to jump to a specific section of the song.
To get Spotify on Android Auto, all you need to do is download the Spotify app on your Android smartphone. It’s worth noting that Spotify is free with Ads, but you will need to purchase a subscription for ad-free playback. The service has gotten a bit restrictive with the number of features available in the free version. If you’re looking to upgrade, we’ve got you covered with this in-depth list of Spotify plans and pricing .
Pricing : Free, Premium starting from $11.99
2. YouTube Music
The YouTube Music vs Spotify debate is still going strong, but there are reasons to choose the former over the latter, like I did . YouTube Music is available as a standalone service and bundled with YouTube Premium , but the latter is more value for money. For starters, the music algorithm is exceptional, and I’ve discovered some of my now favorite music through the same.
YouTube Music effortlessly integrates into Android Auto. The UI lets you search from playlists or different songs and play them effortlessly. The player is pretty decent with options to seek, like/dislike, and skip tracks. Overall, for what it offers, YouTube Music is one of the best music apps for Android Auto and is definitely worth checking out.
Pricing : Free, Premium starting from $10.99/month
3. Google Maps
Google Maps comes preinstalled on Android devices, hence you don’t need to install it in Android Auto. The app makes commuting a lot easier thanks to its comprehensive and up-to-date directions with real-time traffic information and many more features.
It also has alerts for road closures and accidents, and the ability to choose the fastest route as well as different route suggestions to save fuel till you reach the destination. Google Maps on Android Auto syncs with your Android device. So, starting navigation on Android Auto will bring up the directions on your phone and vice versa. Overall, if you’re someone who often uses Google Maps to navigate, you will appreciate the way it works on Android Auto.
Pricing : Free
4. PowerAmp
If you prefer to carry offline music, PowerAmp is for you. The Android app is revered among audiophiles for its advanced capabilities, and while it doesn’t bring all of that over to Android Auto, it brings enough. While it is a paid app and costs $5, it’s one of the best $5 you’ll spend on an app.
One of PowerAmp’s highlights is that it comes with a powerful equalizer that you can use to tune your car’s audio . If you have an expensive audio setup in your car with an Amp, Subwoofers, and great-sounding speakers, you can use the equalizer to get the most out of the setup. Not to mention, you could carry lossless music as PowerAmp supports high-quality music playback.
Pricing : $5
5. Waze
If you don’t like Google Maps, Waze is a great alternative. For starters, it reports accidents and road delays and helps you choose the best route to reach your destination faster. It also supports voice responses and integrates very well with Android Auto.
Things such as the ability to find the nearest gas station , nearest parking, and more make it one of the best alternatives to Google Maps.
Pricing : Free
6. Pocket Casts
Image Courtesy: Pocket Casts on Play Store
We rated Pocket Casts quite high in our list of best podcast apps for many reasons. It’s got one of the best interfaces on Android Auto and the overall experience feels great. There’s a queue button to check what’s playing next, alongside the option to favorite an episode, archive it, skip forward and backward, and the ability to customize skip time .
There’s an Auto Play function that picks an episode for you when there’s nothing left to play. All in all, Pocket Casts is a great app for Android Auto if you prefer to listen to a lot of podcasts when driving
Pricing : Free, Plus starting from $3.99/month
7. Fuelio
If you’re trying to manage your fuel expenses or mileage and having a hard time doing so, Fuelio is just the app you need. It records your trip, and fuel costs over time, and also calculates the mileage based on the fuel and expenses. Besides, it shows you the nearby gas stations and can also show you stations on the route.
Want to find where the cheapest or the best gas station is? Fuelio’s got you with its ability to use your location data to show you the best or the cheapest gas stations around that others rated at some point. The app is customizable and is overall one of the best fuel-tracking apps and one of the best apps for Android Auto.
Pricing : Free
8. Police Scanner
Police Scanners are great to help you avoid accidents. Relying on Google Maps and Waze for real-time updates sometimes works, but sometimes the updates could be delayed. If you want quick updates from emergency departments , Police Scanner is the app to download on Android Auto.
Police Scanners could sometimes be a lifesaver if you spend most of your time driving. The announcements may help you avoid anything from potential disasters to traffic congestion and take alternative routes. Overall, it’s easily one of the best apps you can have on Android Auto.
Pricing : Free
9. PlugShare
Do you own an electric vehicle? PlugShare is an app you should definitely have. Charging anxiety is real, and PlugShare can help with that by finding nearby chargers . There are filters you can use to sort by fast chargers, kilowatt range of the charger, PlugScore for how good the charger is, and charging plug type.
The best thing about the app is that it updates in real time and shows the chargers that are in use. Charging points that are in use appear gray, fast chargers appear orange, and green means longer charging times. If you have an EV, this Android Auto app is something you shouldn’t sleep on.
Pricing : Free
10. TuneIn Radio
Love music but can’t let go of the old ways of listening and feeling nostalgic while driving? TuneIn Radio is for you. The user interface is exceptional, with tons of radio channels to choose from around the world. The player is well-designed and there’s also a map that shows you all the radio channels around you .
While the Radio library is quite comprehensive, we couldn’t find some of our local favorites in the subcontinent. While I can’t speak for other locations, it sure does look like there are lots of stations in Europe and the US. The app has adverts, and you need to purchase premium to remove them; however, they are not intrusive and should be fine.
Pricing : Free, Premium starting from $11.99
Abubakar covers Tech at Beebom, with his passion for technology tracing back to 2011 when he received a Dell Inspiron 5100 as a gift. He’s also a passionate advocate for the right-to-repair movement, believing in empowering users to maintain and extend the life of their devices. Outside the tech world, he enjoys watching anime and exploring his newfound enthusiasm for Japanese cars. In his free time, you’ll often find him immersed in Genshin Impact or researching his next gadget purchase. Before joining Beebom, he contributed to leading publications like Android Police, How-To Geek, and Fossbytes.
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Apple first previewed the next generation of CarPlay at WWDC 2022, alongside the iOS 16 update. It’s been more than two years now, but the CarPlay 2 is yet to be available on any vehicle. That said, several rumors and leaks give us an idea of how the new Apple car software will look and work. With the next-gen CarPlay, Apple plans to completely take over every screen in your vehicle by deeply integrating the new software with your car’s hardware. Here’s everything we know about Apple’s next-gen CarPlay in 2024.
Integration with Instrument Cluster
Image Courtesy: Apple
Apple’s CarPlay 2024 will seamlessly integrate with the car’s instrument cluster, including speedometer, odometer, fuel gauge, tachometer, oil pressure gauge, engine temperature gauge, and more. The vehicle interior designers will have the freedom to include bespoke graphics, logos, and instrument cluster layouts that seamlessly fit in and express the overall feel and character of a brand. So, drivers can enjoy a personalized experience by selecting curated gauge cluster designs and layouts, including classic brand‑specific designs.
Multi-Display Support
With the new CarPlay, Apple plans to take over complete dashboards, even the ones with multiple displays. It means, the next-gen CarPlay will have multi-display support, so it will appear across all displays of your vehicle for a more cohesive experience across the car’s infotainment system, instrument cluster, and any other screens on the dashboard. Apple also mentioned that the new CarPlay will be customized so it accommodates unique screen shapes and layouts for each vehicle model. The automakers will have complete freedom over the look and layout of their dash, and there will be signature looks for different car brands as well.
Last year, Apple also shared what its bespoke designs will look like. For instance, Apple showed an Aston Martin with an infotainment system and instrument cluster that features classy silver gauges and racing green outlines. Another render shows Porsche screens with Apple fonts and design against a signature Porsche houndstooth background.
Climate Controls & Additional Vehicle Settings
Image Courtesy: Apple
The CarPlay interface, which currently shows a handful of apps will be expanded to include buttons for climate control and shortcuts to control temperature right from the home screen. So, you will be able to adjust the temperature of your AC or heating system and control fan speed, heated steering wheel, heated seats, and other options. Also, there will be additional vehicle settings available from an easy-to-use app within the ecosystem, so the driver can change the drive mode or assistance features, without any hassle. That’s not all. The new CarPlay 2 will display pop-up notifications for electric vehicles, so the driver knows the charge status and remaining charge time. Furthermore, there will be deep integration with rear-facing cameras and functionality for park assistance.
Widgets
Widgets will be the core of the new CarPlay arriving in 2024. This will take the driving experience to a whole new level by offering at-glance information like the weather, trip duration, distance traveled, fuel economy, calendar events, phone calls, and more. Also, you can view the status of your HomeKit-compatible devices like the Front Door, Garage Lock, and more. As a part of the new CarPlay experience, Apple will also its users to view and scroll through the widgets within the instrument cluster. You can browse through the available options and add the best widgets that suit your requirements. All in all, the next-gen of CarPlay will make the best use of your vehicle’s screens.
A Fully Wireless CarPlay
While the new CarPlay looks exciting, it looks like not everyone can take advantage of the next-gen features. According to The Verge, the next generation of CarPlay is going fully wireless. So, if your car doesn’t support wireless CarPlay, you’ll be out of luck, sadly. Given the rumors and leaks, we know that the new version of CarPlay won’t be just about mirroring your iPhone. Apple wants to handle everything from music and navigation to speedometers and climate control. To do this, it needs real-time data from your car. For instance, Apple wants CarPlay to start and show you the instrument cluster when you turn your car on. It shouldn’t be delayed until you plug in an iPhone, and that could be one of the biggest reasons for the new CarPlay 2024 to go fully wireless.
However, we also know that wireless connections are less stable and reliable than wired ones. With the slightest of hiccups, you could lose track of your car’s vital functions. Of course, Apple would have made some changes to make the wireless connection more stable. It will be interesting to see how Apple plans its technology and software to fit everything into the right place.
New CarPlay Apps
Apart from a new design and impressive features, we’ll get to see an array of new CarPlay apps that will deliver greater vehicle control. The iOS 17.4 version includes references to 8 new apps that we’ll get to see in CarPlay 2024. Let’s have a quick look at them:
- Auto Settings to manage paired iPhones and adjust vehicle settings.
- Charge to display charging status, battery level, and more.
- Car Camera will display your car’s rear-view camera feed.
- Closures will display vehicle warning symbols and also indicate if any doors are opened.
- Climate to adjust the temperature of your AC or heating system and control fan speed, heated steering wheel, heated seats, and other options.
- Media will provide access to FM and AM radio station controls.
- Trips to provide driving-related data like car’s average speed, energy/fuel efficiency, and more.
- Tyre Pressure will show you the air pressure for each tire. It will also display low-pressure, high-pressure, and flat tire warnings.
Also, Apple will introduce an all-new Media app that will let you control the FM radio in your vehicle, such as changing the station.
What Cars Will Get the Next Gen CarPlay
Apple’s CarPlay 2 will only be available on high-end models, with very few manufacturers having committed to its launch. Here’s a list of committed automakers:
- Audi
- Acura
- Ford
- Honda
- Infiniti
- Jaguar
- Lincoln
- Land Rover
- Nissan
- Mercedes Benz
- Porsche
- Renault
- Volvo
There’s no information about whether the existing vehicles with CarPlay support will get the new CarPlay features and apps.
Next-Gen CarPlay Launch Date
In December 2023, automakers Aston Martin and Porsche previewed their dashboards with Apple’s next-generation CarPlay experience, but we haven’t seen any vehicles with such support yet. The official Apple website only says that the first models with next-gen CarPlay will arrive in 2024. At the moment, there’s no exact timeframe for when Apple will update its CarPlay, but we shouldn’t have to wait for a very long time as we’re already in Q3 now.
That’s everything we know so far about Apple’s next generation of CarPlay. We’ll update this piece as soon as new suggestions and leaks pile up in the coming weeks. So, stay tuned!
Kanika has been a loyal iPhone user since 2014 and loves everything Apple. With a Master’s in Computer Applications, passion for technology, and over five years of experience in writing, she landed at Beebom as an Apple Ecosystem Writer. She specializes in writing How To’s, troubleshooting guides, App features, and roundups for Apple users to help them make the best use of their gadgets. When not writing, she loves to try out new recipes and enjoy some family time.
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