Android Auto is about to get a big Gemini upgrade – and there’s good news and bad news

LovabledanielsMarch 5, 202570 Views

Gemini AI has been spotted in Android Auto
Right now the responses could be more useful
The upgrade isn’t available for everyone yet

Google has been busy pushing Gemini into as many of its apps and devices as it can – from smartphones to email – and now it looks as though the AI assistant is about to make its debut on the Android Auto car dashboard platform too.

The team at Android Authority was able to get Google Gemini up and running on Android Auto, though the feature doesn’t seem to be widely available yet. It may be some time before the upgrade is officially introduced, along with a Google announcement.

It’s actually something of a surprise that it’s taken this long for Gemini to make its way to Android Auto, considering that it’s pushed its way into so many other parts of the Google ecosystem, primarily at the expense of Google Assistant.

This early look gives us a good idea of how Gemini will fit into the Android Auto interface, with an ‘Ask Gemini’ bar appearing along the bottom of the in-car display whenever you’re chatting with the digital assistant.

More work needed

We tested out how Gemini will function as the default assistant on Android Auto.Android Auto is expected to get Gemini integration soon as part of Google’s push to bring AI across its ecosystem.✅ Check video – pic.twitter.com/zSF9xs66mSMarch 5, 2025

The Android Authority report does mention that Gemini responses seem “somewhat generic” and not all that useful at the moment – navigation requests don’t factor in your current location or different travel options, for example.

That perhaps indicates that this is still a work in progress for Google, with more refinements on the way before it goes live for everyone – after all, it’s pretty essential for an AI helper to know where in the world you are when you’re using it in your vehicle.

Another area where Gemini came up short in Android Authority’s testing was with listing nearby food places. While it offered up a lengthy list, it didn’t plot the places on a map, which would be a lot more useful for drivers and passengers.

The AI bot was able to play songs from Spotify and managed other “routine tasks”, and did well managing natural conversations about all kinds of topics – including the weather and famous landmarks – just as it would on the web or on mobile.