CES 2018: Google Assistant starts rolling out to Android Auto users in the US this week

Feeling a bit confused? You aren’t alone. Apparently, the voice assistant on Android Auto only makes use of Google Voice search and not Google Assistant, which we’ve been using in our phones and other smart devices. It’s only this week that Google has begun rolling out the smart assistant to its Android Auto platform in the U.S first. What this means is you could get a more consistent experience using Assistant no matter what device or Android platform you’re using. It should also make it easier to do things like check the status of your car as well as control certain things like, say, locking doors. It’s already available for vehicles from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Hyundai and coming soon to Kia and Fiat Chrysler.

Some of the upcoming features users can expect include “able to reserve a parking space with SpotHero or order your favorite handcrafted drink or food from Starbucks—all from the road.” But as Google says, these Actions are limited to voice-only features and should be kept as “voice interaction and sounds simple and not too jarring or distracting.”

Source: 9to5Google

Nissan has four 2018 models compatible with Android Auto

If you’re interested in getting a new vehicle with Android Auto compatibility, Nissan has four models that have been included into the fold. These are the Altima 2018, Leaf 2018, Maxima 2018, and Rogue 2018. These were announced back in September or October but have just been added to the official list on the Android Auto site. These four cars support both Android Auto and Apple Carplay. Depends on where you’re from, this feature could be part of the basic package or you might have to ask your dealer for the option.

Source: Android Police

Google remedies Android Auto issue that won’t let users read or reply to messages

One of the newest issues Google had to address with Android Auto is a core feature people would use the car platform for: being able to read and reply to messages. The bigger problem, though, was being able to reply to messages. When users tried to reply to a message from any app using Android Auto, the system would say that “I don’t know how to do that yet” or “I’m sorry, I can’t help you with that right now.” And it wasn’t a problem isolated to a device or car model or even Android/Google/Android Auto app versions. Thankfully, the issue has finally been resolved. Google advises to update the Google app but there was also a fix in a server-side update.

Source: Android Police

Sony delivers new head units with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibilituy

The marriage of in-car infotainment systems and smartphones is inevitable as more car manufacturers are offering their new vehicles with the ability to run either Apple's CarPlay or Google's Android Auto (or both). For those of us who like our older vehicles but who want in on the latest and greatest, there are solutions like Sony's XAV-AX100 in-car audio system.

The XAV-AX100 makes it easy to connect your phone to your car has never been better with the option of Apple CarPlay. CarPlay allows you to use your phone in a safe and smart way whilst staying focused on the road, letting you access Apple Music, Maps, make phone calls, and send messages all through the touchscreen, or vocally with Siri.

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