Readers’ comments
Your views and feedback from email and the web
Sticking with Auto
I broadly agree with Barry’s view on Android Auto (see issue 370, p22), except for the implementation of Google Maps and so-called screen mirroring. The “flawed implementation” in my opinion is the way the Google Maps screen on the phone changes from the usual map view to a list of directions, instead of remaining as the usual map view.
I think this important because I have my phone on a high-level mount for navigation where I can see it easily while largely maintaining eyes on the road, whereas the car screens are much lower down the centre of the dash and you have to look much further away from the road to see the car screens.
Admittedly if you have a car screen at high level and simply chuck your phone in the centre console, my complaint is irrelevant.
At one point, Google did a genuine screen mirroring for Google Maps with Android Auto. But this didn’t last long and I haven’t found any settings to achieve it for around two years now. Definitely a retrograde step for road safety IMO. I no longer use Android Auto for this reason and simply use Bluetooth to connect to the cars for music and phone calls.