Android Auto lets you use your Android phone"s apps on your car"s display unit. You can use navigation, and play music or podcasts using Android Auto directly from your phone. While you will find multiple music streaming apps supported by Android Auto, for years, it doesn"t let you play locally stored media from your car"s head unit or a USB thumb drive.
If you want to play music through your USB drive, then you need to exit Android Auto and select the appropriate option from your car manufacturer"s entertainment system to access these files. It appears this may change soon. Because, in an APK Teardown of the latest version of the Android Auto app, a couple of new services and icons have been spotted.
With the Android Auto app v12.8, services, and icons related to "car local media" were spotted, which added radio controls in the app. Now, folks at Android Authority have spotted a new service and icon for local media playback. Here is the string that indicates the feature:
Car Local Media
There is a possibility that Google could bring both the radio controls and local media playback options together in a single future update. However, it is uncertain when these features will land on the Android Auto app.
Recently, Android Auto was spotted prepping up to introduce support for Gemini Live. This indicates that you will soon be able to start a conversation and shoot up your questions to Android Auto, and get answers powered by Gemini Live.
The Google Assistant on Android Auto also received a redesign back in July. The new Google Assistant UI appears when the assistant is waiting for a reply from you, displays a circular-shaped pill, and vanishes when the reply is processed. The UI is similar to how Apple"s Siri looks on CarPlay.