Users are reporting a downgraded experience when using Android Auto because of the slow deployment of Google's new Gemini AI assistant. While the update was confirmed in November, many drivers are still using Google Assistant, which seems to be in limbo.

Google Assistant has long been the highlight of Android Auto, allowing good voice interaction when driving. It launched in 2016 and was integrated into Android Auto in 2018, but has been earmarked for retirement as the focus shifts to Gemini instead.

The advantage Google Assistant offered was that it worked well for the basic functions that it needed to complete – navigation, calling, messaging and media control. Asking Assistant to play a particular artist from Spotify would result in near-instant playback and that's no longer the case.

Taking to Reddit (via 9to5Google), users are reporting that the Google Assistant side of Android Auto is now almost unusable: "Honestly it seems like it would be less distracting to just put the car in park at 80MPH, and type the address into the bloody search bar by hand," commented one disgruntled driver.

The problem is that Google Assistant feels like it's being downgraded, failing to execute tasks it was once adroit at.

"Voice barely works for playing music," says an additional Redditor.

Another (UnashamedSpace) goes even further: "At this point, I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of Gemini… on Android Auto because Google Assistant has become unusable."

My own experience with Google Assistant on Android Auto

I've personally found the same thing, where Google Assistant will sometimes listen to a request and then just completely ignore it, or report that it "didn't understand that". It feels like it's slowly being turned off the in background.

That brings us to Gemini.

Gemini first launched in 2023, hitting the mainstream with the launch of the Pixel 8 Pro. Google continued to push it as its new AI assistant through 2024, while looking to replace Assistant on smartphones through 2025.

But for all the skills that Gemini offers, it was a slow start, where it couldn't perform all the tasks that Google Assistant could. The roll-out has been slow and fractured, with different Google products offering a different voice assistant. At this point in time, in the UK, I have Gemini on my phone, but Google Assistant on my TV, Android Auto and Nest speakers.

It's reported that the Gemini experience in Android Auto is much better than Assistant, allowing a lot more conversational interaction, but Google really needs to step on the gas and push the update, before drivers abandon Android Auto and just use the stock infotainment system in their car instead.