Android Auto 11.5 has been released to the production channel following a week-long beta phase. Google has commenced the public rollout of Android Auto version 11.5 through the Google Play Store, adhering to its staged approach for updates.
This method enables the company to ensure the update’s reliability and gradually enhance its availability as it assesses a reduced risk of bugs.
Unsurprisingly, Android Auto 11.5 arrives without a changelog, as Google seldom provides detailed release notes for app updates. Typically, Google highlights significant changes in separate blog posts whenever substantial updates are released for Android Auto.
Nevertheless, even without release notes, it’s already known that significant changes are included in Android Auto 11.5. One major enhancement is the introduction of AI-powered message summaries via Google Assistant.
Users familiar with using Google Assistant to read messages while driving know that it can read every incoming message, which is convenient but can become overwhelming with a high volume of messages.
To address this, Google Assistant now utilizes artificial intelligence to summarize lengthy or busy chat conversations, providing drivers with essential information without overwhelming them. The assistant offers relevant message replies, including options to share the estimated time of arrival (ETA) when requested by a contact.
Other improvements in Android Auto 11.5 include support for importing icon sets and wallpapers from mobile devices, enhancing consistency between smartphones and car media receivers. Presently, this feature only supports Samsung devices, but Google may expand it to other Android OEMs in the future.
Users eager to download Android Auto 11.5 immediately can obtain the APK installer and install it manually on their device. However, this requires enabling sideloading, allowing installations from sources outside the Google Play Store.
The update process automatically replaces the existing files without requiring users to uninstall the previous version of Android Auto.