It was announced months ago, but a new feature is finally available for Android Auto, which lets drivers respond to messages with a quick tap on the screen. It will no doubt come as a relief to users who dislike using Google Assistant voice control.
Quick Responses was originally announced late last year along with auto-launch, a digital car key and an Amazon Music app. These features were meant to ‘come soon’.
Until today, the only way to reply to messages in Android Auto was by using voice control, which dictated messages to Google Assistant. I find this helpful as it allows me to reply to messages without taking my eyes off the road, but it’s not an ideal solution as Google Assistant can sometimes miss what has been said – especially if you have a strong accent.
Now Android Auto will offer a few contextually relevant answers and allow you to select them with a quick touch of your car’s infotainment display. It’s similar to how Smart Replies works on Android and Gmail.
Android Auto offers at least one suggested answer and varies in length from three words down to a single emoji.
The update was discovered by 9to5 Google and has started rolling out to drivers using the latest beta version of the app.
As you can see in the screenshot above from 9to5 Google, Android Auto also offers a ‘Custom Reply’ ‘option that allows you to respond with your voice instead.
It’s worth noting that even if you’re parked, Android Auto does not allow you to type an answer on the screen – instead you can use your smartphone – which is probably faster anyway.
Do you want to use the new Android Auto Smart Replies, or do you want to stick to Google Assistant? Tell us on Facebook or Twitter …