The upcoming feature was leaked on Reddit
(Picture: Courtney Corlew on Unsplash)Android Auto, Google’s software designed to mirror smartphone features on a car’s dashboard display, will be getting a slick new look for playing music on the go, according to leaked images.
Reddit user mynamesjefffffs showed the upcoming update displayed on their car’s seven-inch monitor.
The poster was able to access the update by rooting their Android smartphone, which is when a user gets administrator permissions and can then access otherwise locked features.
In the images, the car’s map is now displayed in a split-screen format next to the music controls. This means that users can play, pause, or skip music while still being able to see the directions.
Google has been hinting for some time that an update is coming, previously promising that it would offer the functionality to have multiple apps open, even on a small in-car display.
While this version of the update has not yet been released and so will likely be subject to change, it reflects what Google had previously hinted at fairly well, even if the final result may look quite different.
Android Auto does already have split-screen functionality but only on ultra-wide displays that are not found in the majority of cars. On these few displays, there’s the possibility of seeing directions, music, and messages all at once.
Having so many options open at once might seem convenient but some say it begs the question of how safe it would be on a much smaller screen.
Looking at Apple’s approach, the smartphone competitor promotes using Do Not Disturb while driving for safety reasons.
Drivers squinting at a small screen, trying to read messages, is surely not much different from having your phone out while driving. There may well be some reactive policies put in place either by Google or road-traffic authorities down the line.
The Evening Standard contacted Google for comment but received no response.
