- Google Assistant driving mode on Maps is out on Android devices
- Google Assistant driving mode was first announced last year
- The voice prompt doesn’t seem to enabled yet
- Driving Mode could end up as a feature inside Google Maps
Google announced a replacement over a year ago at Google I/O, and it’s finally showing up on phones.
Google Assistant’s Driving Mode was first revealed at Google I/O 2019. But, the company has been relatively silent about it since. Driving Mode was intended to switch the phone to a minimalist interface with a single voice command, with a home page with navigation shortcuts, calling, music playback, and more.
Google later said Driving Mode would replace Android Auto’s on-phone mode. Though, the company initially said the transition would take place “in the coming months,” which didn’t quite pan out.
How Does google assistant driving mode work?
Users can start Driving Mode by telling Assistant “Let’s drive.” The user’s phone will instantly switch over to a minimalist scrolling UI with useful links and actions. For example, users will get traffic info at the top, followed by navigation, calls, and media. Like in Android Auto, appointments on users calendar spawn quick navigation links. Users can talk to the Assistant whenever they require.
Driving Mode does all the same things as Auto on the phone, but it does so with a different UI that looks easier to use. For example, the user can run navigation, but media gets a persistent playback bar below the map in Driving Mode. Auto on phones was always just a crunched down version of the car UI, but Driving Mode seems more suited to a smaller screen.
Google Assistant’s Driving Mode was first revealed at Google I/O 2019. Driving Mode was intended to switch the phone to a minimalist interface with a single voice command, with a home page containing shortcuts to navigation, calling, music playback, and other options.
What are the features of the driving mode?
Driving Mode adds a bottom toolbar to Google Maps with an Assistant button, a button to scroll through supported apps, and media controls. The general design is similar to Android Auto, but the controls are moved around to better suit the aspect ratios of phones.
Keep an eye out for the new Driving Mode as it (possibly) starts to reach more phones. Here’s hoping Google eventually unties it from Maps.