Pixel 3 will automatically turn on Android Auto when you are driving

Google is giving the Google Pixel 3 and Google Pixel 3 XL a bevy of exclusives, including Playmoji, photography tricks, and new Google Lens features. We now can add another exclusive to the list: easy access to Android Auto.

Owners of the Google Pixel 2 can choose to automatically engage Do Not Disturb mode when they are in a vehicle, but the Google Pixel 3 ups the ante by also allowing users to automatically start Android Auto.

You can choose for Android Auto to launch either when your phone connects to your car’s Bluetooth or when your phone detects that you are in a moving vehicle. Obviously, the first one is better since it will prevent Android Auto from engaging on your phone when you’re, say, taking a Lyft or riding a bus.

Your Pixel 3 will automatically disengage Android Auto when one of the following criteria are met:

• Your Bluetooth connection with your car is disconnected
• You are walking with your phone for more than 30 seconds
• Your phone hasn’t moved at all for more than ten minutes

To alter the behavior of how Android Auto operates when you are driving, grab your Pixel 3 and head to Settings > Connected Devices > Connection Preferences > Driving Mode. Within Driving Mode, you can choose how your phone will know you are driving, what it will do when it knows, and other related tweaks.

If you’ve never used Android Auto, give it a shot by clicking the button below. It works on most Android devices, not just Pixels!