Google will stop supporting Android Auto on phone with Android 12

Android Auto is going away come Android 12

Google launched Android Auto on smartphones as an easy hands-free way to get things done while driving. Then most of Auto's features coalesced into Assistant's Driving Mode and Google announced that it will eventually replace Android Auto on phone screens.

Now, that time has come to pass. Speaking with 9 to 5Google, the company has confirmed that Android Auto will no longer work once Android 12 is out.

“Google Assistant driving mode is our next evolution of the mobile driving experience. For the people who use Android Auto in supported vehicles, that experience isn’t going away," said the company in a statement.

"For those who use the on-phone experience (Android Automobile app), they will be transitioned to Google Assistant driving mode. Starting with Android 12, Google Assistant driving mode will be the built-in mobile driving experience. We have no further details to share at this time.”

Some users running the Android 12 Beta have noticed that the dedicated shortcut to Android Auto on phone screens, no longer functions. All they see is a dialog prompt that says, "Android Auto is only available for car screens. On your phone, try Google Assistant driving mode instead."

Not all users have reported seeing the prompt though, which means it's likely that Google is rolling this out in phases.

Android Auto on phone screens has not really been updated in a while and was mostly kept as a legacy experience intended for users who were used to the interface. The Assistant Driving Mode, on the other hand, has received a slew of updates and now includes most of the features that were part of Android Auto.