These key Android Auto icons could soon get an Android 16-flavored refresh

Google has lately been working to bridge the feature gap between phone navigation and Android Auto. It has recently been testing a color-changing menu for the vehicle right within Android Auto. Now, we’ve spotted another visual change that brings Android Auto closer to the phone.

We recently identified a new set of icons in Android Auto to indicate signal strength. The icons appear rounder, distant from the currently sharp-edged ones you see on Android Auto. We also see new typography indicating the cellular network type, and individual bars for signal strength instead of a shaded triangle.

Take a look at some of the new additions here:

These icon changes align with the status bar icon updates Google rolled out in Android 16. Despite the update on the phone side, Android Auto’s icons continue to carry on the older appearance because these icons are stored as part of the Android Auto app rather than being derived from the phone. That is why you might already see different icons if you use a Samsung phone. However, most other Android devices, including Pixel phones, still use the outdated set.

Notably, while Google has added new icons for network status, we’re still seeing older icons for battery, suggesting some wait before the changes roll out to users.

The presence of several black icons alongside many light gray ones suggests Google’s preparation for Android Auto’s upcoming light theme.

The new icons are spotted in version 16.3.160744 beta of the Android Auto app. It goes without saying that there’s no guaranteed timeline for the release. We hope to get a glimpse at Google I/O 2026, if not earlier, but we wouldn’t wait with bated breath.