Google I/O Will Introduce Major Changes To Your Android Auto Experience

The Google I/O developer conference is nearly at hand—it runs from May 8-10, taking place at the Shoreline Ampitheatre in Mountain View, California. Ahead of the event, Google pushed out an update to its I/O Android app for the 2018 edition of the developer conference, and with it came some information about Android Auto and the changes that are in store for the mobile app.

Android Auto is set to deliver a "brand new media experience" with updated visuals and features "both on your phone screen and on your car display." Part of that will consist of the latest evolution of the Material Design that Google has been so focused on across its various products and services.

There aren't a lot of details to digest at the moment, particularly since this is an event that is geared towards developers, not consumers. With that in mind, Google is promising that the new version of Android Auto will make it "easier and faster than ever before to surface content to users." Google also plans to demo several apps that have been retooled for the new UI.

"You'll also see developer apps and Google services like Google Maps, the Google Assistant, and Google Play Store, all adapted and optimized for the new automotive interface," Google says.

Android Auto is supported by a wide range of vehicles, including those from Acura, Audi, Chevrolet, Ford, GMC, Honda, Hyundai, Jeep, Kia, and several others. The same goes for third-party stereo systems. If you haven't used it before, Android Auto is essentially a smart driving companion with a simplified interface that is more appropriate for use in automobiles, with large buttons and a range of voice actions.

Google also plans to show off an in-car concept called Android Automotive at its developer conference, "with the latest version of Android running as the built-in infotainment platform." The idea is to have an OS that car makers can integrate into their vehicles.

Top Image Source: Flickr via Maurizio Pesce