Google tests an Android Auto 15.7 beta refresh: integrated widgets with scaling, a centered taskbar, and Gemini for smarter navigation and Maps events.
© A. Krivonosov
A new phase for Android Auto is taking shape over the next month or two: Google is testing several noticeable changes, and the recent 15.7 beta is the first to lift the curtain. The features remain hidden and can’t be enabled with a routine update, but the code makes the platform’s trajectory clear.
One of the headline additions is widgets. Google has been working on them for a while, and unlike CarPlay they won’t get a dedicated screen. Instead, widgets will be woven into the main Android Auto interface, sitting alongside existing elements. The beta adds controls for widget scale and height, which should help them adapt to different displays. How those settings affect the overall layout is still an open question.
The taskbar is in line for a rethink as well. Google is trialing a new layout where the gaps between icons disappear and the icons shift to the center—much like Microsoft’s approach in Windows 11. In its current form, the build looks raw: the clock is gone, and the number of icons drops to three. It’s an early pass, and Google appears to be experimenting.
Meanwhile, the system is starting to pick up Gemini—the new AI assistant gradually stepping in for Google Assistant. Some users already see a prompt to switch to Gemini inside Android Auto. It can handle more complex requests, help with navigation, and supports voice-added road events in Google Maps.
All of this is controlled server-side, so even installing the latest version of Android Auto doesn’t guarantee you’ll see the changes. Google hasn’t shared a rollout schedule, but the scope of what’s brewing points to a sizable refresh of the interface and capabilities in the near future.