Android Auto replaces your car’s default infotainment system with a familiar, smartphone-like interface. That makes it easy to set up and more straightforward to use, but you’ll need third-party Android Auto compatible apps to get the best experience.
What Is Android Auto: A Companion For Your Android Phone That Makes Accessing It Easier While Driving Android Auto apps are intended for Android 6 to Android 11 devices. With the launch of Android 12, the Android Auto app is no longer supported by Google. Those with Android 12 and higher can use Google Assistant Driving Mode, which recognizes the same “Hey Google” command so users can get on the road to find routes, stream music, or get the weather.
These are the best apps for Android Auto.
Tidal
In terms of musical quality, Tidal doesn’t mess around. The Tidal music subscription app, owned by artists, is designed for hundreds of cars that support Android Auto, as well as third-party head units and Auto’s own phone interface. Tidal is a global music and video streaming platform that aims to connect artists and fans tirelessly through exclusive artistic content. Tidal is one of the music streaming services that allow you to stream your songs, discover new music, and download songs or music videos for offline listening or viewing. Make your own playlist or choose one of Tidal’s, which are curated by music editors and artists. Listen to whatever hi-fi album, playlist or radio station you have on repeat and enjoy uninterrupted music streaming using the app. The new rules for the Play Store prevents signing up for paid plans within the app. Visit tidal. com to sign up for a free trial, see the various paid plan options — and then go back to the app and start listening.
Pandora
There’s a reason radio is so closely linked to the act of driving, which is that you can’t afford to take the time to select your next tune. Pandora is the best music streaming service, arguably, for personalized music radio, which learns as you listen, repeatedly giving you better recommendations as you listen more. Unlike traditional radio, you can skip over songs you’re not interested in — though you have only a limited number of skips on free accounts. You can eliminate limits on skips and replays, and those pesky ads, for $5 a month, and turn Pandora into a Spotify-like on-demand streaming service for $10 a month. The app offers podcasts, which allows you to find your favorite podcast, or get personalized recommendations based on your listening history.
Scanner Radio
If you’re the kind who likes to keep up with breaking fire, police, military, weather, and even air traffic news while on the go, Scanner Radio is at your service, offering live audio from over 7,000 fire and police scanners around the world, weather radios, radio repeaters, and marine and air traffic radios. You can enable notifications for alerts whenever a scanner hits more than 2,000 listeners, so you’ll be in the loop whenever something big goes down. In addition, you can check in with whichever scanners are closest to you and view the 50 best and the directory by information genre. Stay informed with Scanner Radio, a highly rated radio app that keeps you up-to-date at all times! There’s a $3 paid version that removes the ads. The latest version has been refreshed for Android 10
NPR One
Being in the car does not mean leaving the world behind — often quite the contrary. And if you can’t abide more miles of commercials, jingles, product hawking and mindless chatter, you can stay connected to what matters with NPR One. You receive the latest local, regional, national and international news in a streamlined, curated narrative flow. With NPR One it’s not all one-way in nature: You can skip stories that don’t interest you, and the app learns not to show you that genre in future. Similarly, a gentle tap on the light bulb tells the app to surface more stories like that. While on the move, skip, pause and search without taking your hands off the wheel.
This widely-used messaging application offers drivers a way to receive and send messages without using their hands. When used with Android Auto, you tap on the message as it pops up on your car’s display and then use your voice to write and send replies. If you’re using GPS or another app then, messages will show up in the top third of your display, which lets you compose your response without having to switch screens between apps and risk missing your turn. The app supports call waiting, which allows you to elect to answer an incoming call while you’re already on another call. Group voice calls with new interface, now supports up to 32 participants. You can choose who can add you to groups using the privacy settings.
Amazon Music
All the music attached to your Amazon account — whether stored in the cloud, music you’ve uploaded to the service, or songs on your phone — will play when you activate to use Amazon Music with Android Auto, as will features like Prime Stations. Voice commands are also included for hands-free use where you simply say “OK, Google” followed by something like “Play Call Me Maybe on Amazon Music.” It supports free music streaming so you can listen to hot playlists and thousands of radio stations for free. All Amazon purchases are kept for free on the Amazon cloud.
OverDrive
Your local library — not to mention around 40,000 libraries worldwide — is always at your fingertips with OverDrive, and you can borrow as many books as you like for free. Although you can borrow e-books, audiobooks and streaming video from your library on your Android device via OverDrive, the audiobook feature is especially useful while you’re driving. Thanks to OverDrive for never making you too late to check out a book, place a hold, or lose sleep over getting the books back on time. The app takes care of that. All you need is a valid account at a participating library, school or other institution. Each library has its own title collection. Get in touch with them to tell them that you’re using OverDrive and to suggest any new books that you’d like to see added.
Spotify
Spotify features the largest music streaming service on the globe, and in association with Android Auto, you’ll gain access to Spotify’s huge database of available songs, albums, and artists. The music streaming can still be used for free, with ads, without subscription. Want to download your songs so you can use them in places where there is no mobile data, or if you’re using up a limited data package — then you will have to pay up for a Spotify Premium subscription for $10 a month. Our guide explains how to get a discount. Setting up Android Auto is simple — just connect your phone and you’re off to the races. And, Spotify keeps updating the app to add new features and enhance its smooth working.
Messenger
There are plenty of other messaging options but if you’re already using Meta (formerly Facebook) Messenger to stay in touch with friends and family then you don’t want to switch just because you’re in your car. You already have Messenger on your phone, which means that all messages you receive will reach your Android Auto (if it is on), so that you follow everything. You can also get Android Auto to read your messages out loud, and you can tap a big button to send a pre-typed “I’m driving right now” reply to any of your messages. It’s easy integration, of course, but it’s welcome for when you want as few distractions behind the wheel as possible.
Waze
From Waze’s active dude, you can get all kinds of valuable real-time information about what lies in the path ahead. The app provides turn-by-turn directions, reroutes you on the basis of traffic and warns you about accidents, hazards and where police are located. You can also use it to share your ETA and progress with friends and family, like when you’re meeting up somewhere. Nor do you have to worry about not knowing that gas is cheaper a couple exits down the road with points of interest on top of nearby gas prices also thrown in and integration with Facebook found throughout one of the best navigational apps out there.
YouTube Music
YouTube Music is the equivalent of its predecessor service, Google Play Music, which Google terminated in 2020. You can control your music (which is what most people use it for) using Android Audio, too, since it integrates with such platforms. For a truly hands-free experience, you can use the same voice commands you’re used to giving on your Android phone. All you have to do to hear a specific song, artist, or genre is ask. When navigating the app using your car’s display, you’ll see music recommendations, recent plays, and mixes based on artists and songs you’ve previously played. The service reports over 70 million official songs, as well as live concert performances, cover songs, remixes and music that only may be available on the platform elsewhere. It works with Google Maps, Waze, Google Assistant and others.
Pocket Casts
Getting your favorite podcasts in while you commute can be an amazing time. Pocket Casts – Fully Android Auto Compatible Pocket Casts is one of the best podcast apps Android users can have. If you’re connected to the Android Auto UI, you’ll get play/pause and back/forward control. There are also new browse functionalities for podcasts, filter settings, and previously-set Up Next queues. You’ll need to set these playlists up before you start Android Auto though, so you may still have to play around with your phone before you hit the road.
Audible
Listening to an audiobook, rather than listening to satellite radio or a Spotify playlist, can make you feel productive on a long road trip. Amazon’s Audible offers thousands of audiobooks, covering everything from best sellers to nonfiction to books everyone in the family will love. If you listen through the Audible app, you can adjust the narrator’s speed, skip forward or backward by entire chapters, or replay just the last few lines of text read so that you can ensure you didn’t miss anything significant. On top of that, the Android Auto app allows you to browse the Audible store from the dashboard of your car, so you don’t have to park and scramble for a device to get your next book. You can access your wishlist, find the latest bestsellers, and navigate through specific genres, all without even picking up your phone.
