You can finally change your car's Google Maps "drivatar" from the in-car display

There's an update coming to Google Maps on Android Auto that will let you change the drivatar - the icon representing your car - on the car's display, without having to reach for your phone.

Traditionally Google Maps has used a blue arrow. Customisation landed in 2025 making it easy to switch the icon, but all changes had to be made on your phone, then displayed through Android Auto.

In the latest update for Google Maps on Android Auto, you'll now be able to make that customisation on the car's own screen, making it much easier to tap the icon you want, without having to remember to make that change on your phone.

We first caught wind of this feature early in 2026 when it appeared in the Android Auto beta, but it's now just starting to appear for everyone via an update, according to 9to5Google.

It's easy to make the change from your car's display. Just tap on settings to find the option, although this appears to be a server-side update, so the rollout isn't predictable.

Google Maps recently enabled the speedometer and speed limit signs on Android Auto, a feature that had been missing for some time, while bigger changes have been swept in with the immersive navigation that Google announced back at Google I/O.

That's not universally available yet, as it seems to have rolled out in the US but no where else, despite Google having immersive view for a wider range of locations than just US cities.

Updates to Android Auto are regionalised and often differ wildly in terms of timescale. The move from Google Assistant to Gemini seemed to take a really long time to happen, with little guidance as to why it was taking so long in some regions.

The pace of change on Android Auto can be a little slow but at least with this recent change you'll be able to update your avatar on the screen and change it based on your mood.