Android Auto: Gemini replaces Google Assistant

The Google Assistant will be successively replaced by the AI assistant Gemini in Google's ecosystem after nine years of operation. After the new assistant has largely found its way into smartphones, it's now Android Auto's turn. Google's plan is to largely phase out the Google Assistant by the end of the year.

Gemini in the car

Google promised Gemini for Android Auto at the Google I/O developer conference in May of this year. The company is now apparently rolling out the new assistant for use in cars to its first users, as they are announcing in a thread on Reddit. It also appears to be being deployed in Germany; possibly first to beta testers. You can tell if your device is already using Gemini by a new voice, for example. New animations are also said to indicate the Gemini version.

Furthermore, no app update seems to be required for the switch from Google Assistant to Gemini; the change is made server-side. However, Android Auto according to 9to5Google must be installed in versions 15.6 or 15.7.

With Gemini in Android Auto, users can now interact with the system in natural language and issue voice commands. In addition, Gemini can be better linked with supported apps and extensions for services such as Google Home, Keep (notes), and Maps. The rollout of Gemini for Android Auto took place a few days after Google Maps received a Gemini update.

Gemini will also help with navigation via voice output in the future. Google wants users to be able to move through the streets "hands-free in dialogue" without taking their eyes off the road. For example, it should be possible to ask for gas stations with the cheapest prices or good restaurants along the route.

Talk to Gemini Live

Google states that Gemini in Android Auto should also be able to automatically translate incoming and outgoing text messages. One feature that seems to have been lost when switching from Google Assistant to Gemini is the ability to use nicknames for contacts, writes 9to5Google. The chatbot Gemini Live, with which users can have a real conversation, is also available.

In addition to its integration into Android Auto, which can be accessed by connecting an Android smartphone to a vehicle's infotainment system, Google will also equip the integrated Android Automotive (Google Built-in) with the Gemini assistant. According to Google, this update will follow a little later.

However, Google's ambitious plan to completely replace the Google Assistant with Gemini in its ecosystem by the end of this year may not materialize under certain circumstances. At least outside the USA, the Google Assistant will remain in smart homes. According to Google, Gemini in the Home app will be rolled out in Germany and other countries only in 2026.

(afl)