Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/Google
Despite the occasional spate of bugs, Android Auto is getting better and better, with Google’s frequent updates playing a big role in that.
A new build has now landed in the beta program, allowing testers to try it out before the company gives the green light to the final update for production devices.
Android Auto 12.6 ships without a changelog, but testers should install and test the update primarily to determine its stability and reliability. It doesn’t appear to include any new features — I’m sure that’s what most people look for in Android Auto updates — but it might fix some glitches that have been reported recently.
One of them concerns the ability to make calls, as users have complained about faulty voice commands when trying to use this feature with a saved contact. While voice commands are supported by Google Assistant, which in turn is the responsibility of the Google app, users claim that making calls no longer works properly after installing a software update in late July.
It’s unclear if this new beta includes a fix, but I’m waiting for more feedback from users who have reported this behavior. I haven’t encountered the calling bug, so I can’t say if Android Auto 12.6 fixes it.
While Android Auto updates are still missing important features, they are still coming. The latest notable addition Google is working on is support for radio stations, which are bundled with Android Auto by default.
If you want to listen to a radio station today, you have to leave the Android Auto interface and return to the native vehicle software. Google wants to fix this lack of consistency by integrating access to radio stations directly into Android Auto. Work on this feature started recently and it is unclear how Google will implement it.
The company is reportedly looking at two options. First, it could find a way to integrate radio stations directly into Android Auto, meaning users would stick with the app’s interface throughout the listening experience. This approach would also allow Google to expand radio listening features with more options, including access to HD radio stations.
The second option is to add a direct shortcut to the car’s radio stations to Android Auto, but this solution would still require users to leave the Android Auto interface and access the car’s native software to listen to a radio station, and would limit Google’s upgrade plans.
The Android Auto 12.6 beta doesn’t seem to include any notable changes to work on this feature. If you want to try out the new beta today, you can download the Android Auto 12.6 APK and sideload it to your device even if you’re not part of the testing program.
