Android Auto's big new update arrives – just curb your enthusiasm a touch

Android Auto is in the process of rolling-out a range of new features for drivers, so the confirmation that Android Auto 15.0 has gone live has been met with excitement. But before you race off to hit update, take a breath and calm yourself.

Android Auto 15 is live on my Pixel 10 Pro, having been through the beta cycle, and considering the among of findings we reported during the beta phase, I was as keen to see the final version as anyone.

After all, the expansion to allow more columns of apps, options to support Material You themes, and the arrival of Gemini in Android Auto have either been spotted in the early software versions, or have been expected for some time.

Unfortunately, none of these elements are included with Android Auto 15.0 and having fired up my car and taken a look, I can't find anything at the surface levels that's changed either. Sadly, it looks like Android Auto 15.0 is another move that simply squashes a few bugs in the background.

The layout, the features and the supported apps all appear to be the same as they were before.

The lack of Gemini integration is still an oddity considering that Gemini is so dominant in the rest of the Android experience. Some Gemini code was added to the 15.1 beta, but we're not quite at that stage yet. I'm expecting Google to make a big song and dance about its AI service moving into the Android Auto space in the coming months.

What else are we expecting from Android Auto

For a long time it's been expected that Android Auto would bring support for video streaming apps, allowing those who are parked to enjoy content on their car. That's going to be useful to those in electric cars who are charging while on the road, or for those who just want to do something while waiting around in the car.

It does have downsides, however. My car will complain if I'm still using the entertainment system with the engine off, so settling down to watch Top Gun: Maverick while waiting in the car park outside a shopping mall will probably never work for me.

Android Auto has also been linked to deep controls for the car's climate control system and support for the car's other entertainment hardware, like USB drives and the radio tuner. But this would need a bigger buy-in from car manufacturers, so might need a new generation of cars to support it.

The roll-out of Android Auto 15.0 seems to be limited at the moment – my Pixel 10 Pro has it, but my Pixel 9 Pro doesn't – although you can expect the update to appear soon. It's just that when it does, there's not a whole lot to be excited about right now.