Do.you.have to.have android plugged into.car before downloading android car

When using Android Auto, drivers can ask the same questions they would on their phone, simply by pushing the car's voice button. Users can ask for directions, dial a phone number, dictate a message, or get the software to play a particular artist or song.

And Google relies on the phone's cellular data connection. So, if there's no cellular service, some functions will not work. In short, you should expect the same level of functionality that you would receive on an Android phone. For instance, you can ask, "What's the weather like in Boston?

As for Google Assistant the company's answer to Amazon's Alexa , those specific functions — such as coordinating smart home devices — are not yet built in to Android Auto. Older vehicles cannot generally be upgraded via software to support Android Auto. The one exception among automakers is Hyundai, which has a few models, such as the Sonata, that are upgradable.

You can replace your existing car stereo or navigation system and purchase a new in-dash infotainment system that works with Android Auto. There are a variety of such models from Alpine, JVC and others. However, most require a so-called double DIN slot in the dashboard, while most older cars can accommodate only a smaller, single DIN device.

No matter what system you choose, we recommend that you get the equipment installed by a professional. To change the temperature, for example, drivers will have to use the usual heating and ventilation buttons or the car's own, separate voice-recognition system.

There is some basic level of coordination between the Android Auto app and the car, however, so that, for example, streaming-music playback will be muted when a lane-departure warning bell sounds. Both software programs are essentially just apps that appear in a car's dashboard display. Consequently, virtually every automaker is committed to supporting both Apple and Google, and most have at least a few car models that do so.

The one glaring exception is the world's No. Depending on what car you have and how the options are arranged, there's the potential to save yourself money, using Android Auto rather than an expensive satnav upgrade from your car manufacturer - certainly something to weigh-up on the options list when buying a new car.

The Google Maps driving experience is very much as you get when you have your Android phone in navigation mode. There are things like traffic, all the information you need, but the real strength is finding locations through search, which is often much better than the results you'll get from a dedicated satnav in a car - with the advantage of always being up to date too. In , Google enabled Waze in Android Auto , so if you prefer to drive with Waze, you'll be able to sit in the Waze mapping instead.

Yes, it's a Google-owned company and there's a lot of parity between the Waze and Google Maps experiences especially when it comes to searching for addresses , but on the whole, Waze's fun interface is a little more interesting than Google Maps. On most cars, this will put Google Maps or Waze onto the main display in the centre of the car - but it might not cross over to the driver's display.

Some in-built car satnav systems will give you directions in the driver display, but we're yet to see Android Auto integrated deeply enough to do that. Entertainment is obviously one of the big things that Android Auto offers.

Although this isn't a huge step over using Bluetooth audio - it does mean that you have a nice clear interface in Android Auto, as well as the choice of the music service you use. This takes you beyond just playing music that's on your phone's storage, instead offering to play from apps that you have on your phone.

That's the important thing - you have to have the app installed on your phone to be able to access it. Google's own YouTube Music is supported, as you'd expect, but we suspect most will be drawn to apps like Spotify, allowing streaming and access to playlists and recently played tracks really easily. Just remember that you're streaming those services so will have to consider the data costs too.

Never at any point do you have to touch your phone, as all the volume and track skipping works with the car's existing controls. Calling is perhaps the least revolutionary aspect of Android Auto, because it's so well established through existing Bluetooth connections in cars. If you have nothing in your car, then great, you're now connected; but with Bluetooth phone connections coming as standard on most new cars, you might find you never need Android Auto's option.

Except, of course, that everything is displayed in an Androidy way, so it feels closer to your phone than your car's interpretation of it. That said, on many cars, once you connect via Bluetooth, you'll grant permission to access you call lists, so you can just as easily return missed calls or find contacts through the car as you can through Android Auto.

Of course you get messaging notifications too, and these can be read out to you, which is better than looking at your phone and trying to reply while driving. One of the most attractive things about Android Auto is that it's run by your phone, not the car.

Yes, the level of integration into your car may be different, but with phones getting smarter than cars pretty quickly, Android Auto keeps getting better and better. As it's drawing on apps from your phone, you'll have the latest features, without having to wait for your car to be updated, which is another immediate advantage. The downside is that, in some cases, on modern cars, the presentation of Android Auto isn't as slick as the native system.

Yes, that might just be a tweak that Google needs to make to increase the output resolution of Android Auto, but it's something to watch out for. If you're an Android user, then speccing your car with Android Auto certainly makes sense, with the potential to make your car smarter, more personalised and more familiar, and all with very little effort.

Google Now is essentially the home base for Android Auto. Important Cards will pop up as you need them, but never too many at a time, so as to avoid driving distractions. And your car won't show you cards that have nothing at all to do with information you'd need in a car. Instead, Android Auto will dictate everything to you. For Android Auto to be safe for drivers, it has to eliminate any major distractions.

As a result, Android Auto has a very limited selection of touchscreen action buttons. You control the interface primarily through voice. When you receive a reply, Android Auto will in turn read it to you. There is an onscreen keyboard available in Android Auto, but only when the car is parked.

You can use it to input an address, for instance, but once the car is ready to drive, the keyboard option disappears.