Android Auto's new look and dark theme now rolling out (Updated)

Update, June 25, 2019 (3:58PM EST): According to a Reddit user, the revamped Android Auto is now rolling out.

Odds are you won’t see it right away — the redesign is available in version 4.4.592344 of the Android Auto app as part of a server-side switch. If you don’t see the redesign yet, you should see it sometime soon.

Original article, May 6, 2019 (1:00PM EST): In a blog post today, Google revealed that it will roll out a revamped Android Auto later this summer. The redesign of the automotive interface promises new features and faster access to the apps and controls you care about the most.

Over the past five years, Android Auto has expanded to support more than 500 car models from 50 different brands. This new update will hit every single one of those cars.

With this new update, Google is focusing mostly on making it easier for drivers to access the most important features in faster ways. After all, a driver who is fiddling with their Android Auto screen instead of watching the road is not exactly the safest.

With that in mind, the main interface of Android Auto now features a navigation bar which will tell you your turn-by-turn directions and allow you to control your phone all from one place. The navigation bar will allow drivers to manipulate all the features of their phone with far fewer taps than before.

The new notification center is similarly simplified, allowing a driver to access text messages, phone calls, etc., in ways that are easier and safer than before.

The new Android Auto update will also reconfigure itself to better match the dimensions of your dash display — a welcome upgrade for those drivers with very wide screens.

Finally, Google is going to include a dark theme with Android Auto, which is likely the upgrade people will be most thankful for. You can even alter the accent colors to better fit with the rest of your vehicle’s lights and detailing.

Google will talk more about Android Auto and these updates at Google I/O 2019, which kicks off tomorrow. The updates described here will land sometime this summer.

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