Google’s Android Auto and Apple's CarPlay are two of the top smartphone integration platforms that let you mirror the features of your smartphone to your car’s dashboard. However, with the One UI 7 update, Samsung has released its own version of Android Auto called the Samsung Auto, which is currently exclusive to China.
Samsung Auto was spotted by a Reddit user, and then 9to5Google later confirmed it by sideloading it on a US Galaxy S25 Ultra. The app allows users to connect their vehicles using either Baidu CarLife+ or ICCOA CarLink. However, both of these connection standards are currently only available in vehicles sold in China.
The app is compatible with a long list of vehicles from different brands like Audi and BMW, but again, only on the versions that are sold exclusively in China. 9to5Google, in their testing, found that the UI of Samsung Auto is very similar to that of Google's Android Auto and Apple’s CarPlay.
The dashboard display features the navigation app, all the music controls, and a few widgets. Additionally, just like CarPlay, the Samsung Auto display also shows four apps placed vertically on the side.
Samsung Auto reportedly offers a quick navigation feature that acts as a bridge between your car and your smartphone. The feature lets you start navigation on your Samsung smartphone and move it to your car's display, or vice versa. It’s very similar to what you get with Google Maps, where you can send a navigation link from your phone to your car’s display.
The Reddit user’s post also suggests that the app is offering two exclusive features—location-based navigation and recognize addresses for quick navigation. According to Samsung, the location-based navigation feature automatically pulls the address the user receives in a message and updates their current navigation route in Samsung Auto map with it. This feature can really be helpful, as drivers won’t have to stop their car to manually enter a new destination when they need to change routes based on an address shared via message.
The "recognize addresses for quick navigation" feature is only compatible with select Chinese applications and works only when the user is inside their car. When one of these supported Chinese apps detects an address, a shortcut button will appear on the smartphone screen. Users can tap this button to send the address to their car’s display and begin navigation.
As mentioned earlier, Samsung Auto is currently available only in the Chinese market. The main reason for this is that the app relies on Baidu and ICCOA standards to connect with vehicles. Since implementing both standards would require significant firmware changes from both car manufacturers and Samsung, it seems unlikely that Samsung Auto will be available globally, at least not in the near future.
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