Google is rolling out Android Auto 16.1 widely as a stable version now, and this update seems to have fixed one particularly annoying issue. When Android Auto 16.0 started rolling out earlier this month, a number of users reported that the controls on their steering wheel had stopped working.
The update brought a splash of the new Material 3 Expressive visual overhaul to Android Auto media apps, but as it turns out, it rendered steering wheel media controls unresponsive for some users.
This is not a critical issue, and it didn't result in any problems with the actual steering of the affected vehicles, but it did pose a distraction risk because people had to reach and use the touchscreen to control media rather than do it from their steering wheel.
The latest Android Auto 16.1 beta has fixed the problem and is now rolling out as a stable version to all Android Auto users out there. There are no major changes in this update other than the old media player visuals, which Google seems to have rolled back to.
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Apparently, the steering wheel issue was tied to this new Material 3 Expressive design, and more work is needed before a stable and bug-free version of Android Auto with the said design appears. Now, the issue has been resolved but users got back to the old apps look, and the update also introduced new bugs.
One Android Auto issue gets fixed, a few more pop up
Sadly, the new Android Auto 16.1 update may have fixed the steering wheel controls, but it has introduced another bug. Multiple users have reported that since Android 16.1 started rolling out last week, they have been experiencing a strange issue with the navigation system of their cars.
Another issue, most likely tied to Android Auto 16.1, is the Gemini Live loop bug, where the assistant starts answering a prompt and then interrupts itself, listening to its own response.
Have you experienced any of these Android Auto issues?
What's next for Android Auto?
Google is trying to get AC and radio controls working in Android Auto | Image by Google
Google is currently working on the next stable version—Android Auto 16.2—which is in beta now, and thanks to some lines of code found inside, we have a good idea about the upcoming new features.
Our friends at 9to5Google have done their usual code teardown and found that Google keeps on trying to integrate radio station and A/C controls in the latest version of Android Auto. The company has been working on those two for quite a while now.
Lines of code found in the beta version of Android Auto 16.2 | Image by Android Authority
Another potential new feature coming to Android Auto is the ability to cast media straight to your car. Code strings inside one of the beta releases, explicitly mentioned Google Cast in relation to a car and were found around the Media Router framework.
Adding the cast option to Android Auto is a logical step, as Android Automotive, Google’s operating system that runs on the car's hardware, already supports the feature. It's not yet clear when we're going to get it as a stable release, though.
Normally, it takes a few weeks before a beta reaches the stable version rollout, so there's still time for Google to iron out these annoying bugs. We don't think the radio station and A/C controls will be ready for the next stable release, but we'll monitor the situation and report back.
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Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
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