Google Gemini is now rolling out on Android Auto – here are the upgrades you get

• Google Gemini is appearing on Android Auto for some
• It replaces Google Assistant as the on-board AI
• Conversational upgrades and better info are included

Google has previously promised that Gemini would be replacing Google Assistant as the go-to AI helper on Android Auto, and several months later it seems that the upgrade is starting to appear on some car dashboards.

As per 9to5Google, several users are now reporting that they're seeing Gemini pop up in Android Auto. There's no official announcement to refer to, but it seems the update is something Google has applied on the server side for certain people.

That said, it does also seem to require Android Auto 15.6 or Android 15.7, and apparently is only available for those running the beta version too. Google hasn't specified if either of those is the case, though, so that may be a coincidence.

There's nothing you can do to force the update; you just have to be patient. Once it does reach your phone, the next time you go to launch Google Assistant on Android Auto you'll see a quick introduction screen for Gemini instead.

What Gemini brings with it

Gemini for Android Auto changes things. - YouTube

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Gemini on Android Auto gives you pretty much the whole experience you get from chatting with Gemini in the mobile apps or on the web. It's a more natural, conversational AI, and as Gemini Live is included you can ask follow-up questions and interrupt it too.

There are now numerous Google apps connected to Gemini too, including Google Home and Google Keep – so you could, for example, ask Gemini to create a list of recipe ingredients in Google Keep, then ask for directions to the local grocery store.

We've already seen a demo from Google covering how some of this functionality will work, and overall the AI upgrade is a substantial one. Some users are reporting that contact nicknames don't work though, so it's possible some features will get dropped too.

Earlier this week we got news of a major Gemini upgrade for Google Maps, which will of course also tie in with what you see in Android Auto – you can use the AI to ask questions about places on the map, report traffic incidents, and get more precise directions.

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