4 Surprising Android Auto Apps You Can Actually Use in the Car

In the early days of Android Auto, the platform was meant to be a simple way to access navigation, music, and phone interactions through a vehicle’s infotainment system. Major updates have occurred over the years, with future updates even having the potential to completely change the way you use your dashboard. As Android Auto has developed, it has made the car a place to keep up with the news, play games, and even conduct business transactions.

In fact, an entire app ecosystem has formed around the Android Auto platform, with Google and third-party developers creating a wide range of compatible apps. While everyone installs essential Android Auto apps like Spotify or Google Maps, there are also a number of apps that you might not expect to be compatible with Android Auto.

Many of these apps have been available to Android phone and tablet users for years, and have only more recently been adapted for use in vehicles. Others have been quietly available to Android Auto users for some time. While the platform is all about ensuring that driving remains the top priority, there are plenty of apps that can complement and expand what can be done in a vehicle, and we’ve selected from them what we think are some of the most surprising options.

Zoom Workplace is one of the most popular video conferencing and collaboration platforms. It has over a billion downloads on the Google Play Store, but is available for a number of different operating systems and platforms. Available as a free download, it gives users access to video meetings, team chats, AI-powered productivity tools and phone calls, and is a must-have in professional work environments.

Zoom is one of the essential apps for remote workers, and with Android Auto, the car can also become a temporary work environment. The Android Auto interface allows for phone call management, and users can start and join scheduled Zoom meetings and conference calls directly on a vehicle’s screen.

However, while the desktop and mobile versions of Zoom allow video meetings, the Android Auto app does not support video. This may demote the app among other messaging apps for the Android Auto platform, but Zoom’s audio-only features can still be beneficial for drivers who rely on the software to track their work on the go.

One way to get information is to use Google News, a popular news aggregator that can be accessed in a variety of ways. Users can access Google News through its app on different platforms, as well as through the Google News webpage. It brings together the main local, national and international news stories, updated throughout the day to keep users up to date with the latest news. Ultimately, Google News aims to provide a personalized news feed.

Thanks to Android Auto, this news feed is accessible directly in your vehicle. When installed on a connected phone, Google News becomes one of the default apps in Android Auto. It’s a great way to keep your eyes on your phone while you drive, and Google Assistant integration means the app can also be used entirely with voice commands. The hands-free experience may even be better when the vehicle is in gear.

However, Google News cannot read full news articles while you are driving. The app only offers briefings, as its intentions are more about organizing and presenting news articles rather than being a journalistic source in itself. But quick updates on what matters most to you in the world are available right in the car via Google News for Android Auto.

Gaming might not be the first thing that comes to mind when we think of Android Auto, and that’s exactly why GameSnacks is one of the most surprising Android Auto apps we’ve come across. Android Auto’s Park and Play feature allows games to be played on a vehicle’s infotainment screen as long as the vehicle is parked. It brings classics like “Angry Birds 2”, “Candy Crush Soda Saga” and “Beach Buggy Racing” straight to your vehicle’s screen.

But the GameSnacks app opens the door to an even broader suite of games that can be played in the car. GameSnacks is an online gaming service developed by Google, and its games are intended to be much more casual than some of the titles mentioned above. They are more in line with the types of games that are sometimes pre-installed on computer operating systems. Games like chess, billiards, solitaire, Mahjong and gin rummy are among them, as are more specific titles like “Space Survivor” and “Ghost Pro Racing”.

Since you can only play games on Android Auto when your vehicle is parked, the simplicity of the games found in the GameSnacks library makes the app worth installing. It’s a quick, effortless and quite surprising way to spend a few minutes in your vehicle, whether it’s because you’re early for an appointment or waiting to pick up the kids from school.

Originally designed for gamers, Discord has also become popular among creators looking to build a community. With over 500 million downloads on the Google Play Store alone, it is one of the most used chat platforms. It has servers dedicated to everything from games and sports teams to book clubs and professional networking.

Discord supports text, voice, and video communications across different operating systems and platforms, but the app for Android Auto is somewhat limited. The app organizes messages and conversations and displays them on your vehicle’s screen, with Google Assistant available to read messages aloud and create replies using just your voice. The app does not offer access to servers and excludes some other features that Discord is known for. Still, it can be useful for keeping Discord conversations top of mind while you’re in the car.

Although the Discord experience on Android Auto is more comparable to simple messaging apps, the fact that it’s available for the platform may come as a pleasant surprise for Discord fans. Many users have gotten to know each other well through some of their common interests, all thanks to Discord. The Android Auto app allows this connection to roll into the car on the go.

Android Auto allows drivers to access a large number of applications that would otherwise only be accessible on the road via a mobile device. But many users don’t realize how many apps are available for Android Auto, letting their curiosity stop at navigation, fuel, and music apps. Here, we’ve made selections intended to avoid the most obvious Android Auto apps. We applied our own experience with Android Auto and handpicked what surprised us when we first discovered them on the Google Play Store.