Is Android Auto a Big Mess? Can't Send Texts. Unstable. Bugs. Poor Design.

[consultant]

Just picked up a 2019 Mazda with Android Auto. LG V30 running Android 8.0. I have all sorts of weird things happens indicating this app is NOT stable. I'm wondering who I go to, to try to work out the problems, Google or Mazda? (I doubt Mazda can do anything.)

I've been a Software Developer for over 20 years and my opinion thus far is Android Auto is both unstable and poorly thought out.

Geez, I could build a list a mile long but here's some major things off the top of my head...

- When replying to a text message, I get as far as AA reading my reply and asking me if I want to send, which I confirm, and then it says "Ha. Something went wrong." If I then ask "What went wrong?" AA Says there was a server error but I've fixed it now. No, you haven't, because it keeps doing it.

- The command "OK Google... Send text message to {insert contact name}" responds with "I don't know how to do that." Are you kidding me? I can do that on my phone when not using AA.

- The command "read last text message" AA responds it can't do that either.

- The command "read last notification" can't do it.

There are pretty basic necessities when driving. I'm sure Google has some explanation like "apps aren't allowed to access {some data} for security purposes." But in reality, at the end of the day, the software engineer's goals should be centered around making user functionality as useful as possible and easy to use. Looks like thus far, they've really missed the mark.

The funny (but sad) thing is, the Mazda salesman said the Apple Car Play worked better, but didn't warn me about the issues I was going to have with Android Auto. I can see why he said Apple was better. But Google is such a small company with so little resources, I can therefore understand why Android Auto is subpar (NOT.)

 

[Clementine_3]

I had AA installed after market on my '17 Mazda CX3, I have nowhere near the issues you do.

- When replying to a text message, I get as far as AA reading my reply and asking me if I want to send, which I confirm, and then it says "Ha. Something went wrong." If I then ask "What went wrong?" AA Says there was a server error but I've fixed it now. No, you haven't, because it keeps doing it.

- The command "OK Google... Send text message to {insert contact name}" responds with "I don't know how to do that." Are you kidding me? I can do that on my phone when not using AA.

What texting app are you using? I'm using Google's and it works for me.

The command "read last text message" AA responds it can't do that either.

- The command "read last notification" can't do it.

I've actually not tried either of these but am going out later and will give it a go out of curiosity.

It is sort of clunky to navigate through but voice commands mostly seem OK. I have PowerAmp and they just updated for AA but AA 'can't do that' yet either.

 

[consultant]

What texting app are you using? I'm using Google's and it works for me.

I'm a Software Developer and I would guess the texting app has nothing to do with it as when you have the phone plugged in, the Android Auto App is controlling everything, not the texting app. That's why you can have multiple texting apps on your phone, they all send texts via a system level API, no different than what Android Auto does, BUT, obviously something is different causing it to not send. I would guess it may be a permissions issue, so maybe I'll try deleting cache, deleting data, uninstalling and reinstalling and see how that goes.

If you scan Android Auto forums around the Internet you will see the experiences vary greatly from good (your case it appears), to horrible with the average being somewhere in the middle. For Google though, I think the average should be a lot closer to "good" or "great" and that doesn't appear to be the case.

 

[consultant]

@Celmentine_3 Hey, I'm curious, is it just me, or does the command "Send text message to {insert contact name}" not work for you also. Someone was saying Google doesn't allow this for safety reasons but I find this hard to believe since you can reply by voice.

 

[Clementine_3]

I was just able to send a text. Send text to <contact name> <text body>, it read it back and sent it. I was able to play the reply but was not able to replay it after I told it to not reply. It said there were no new messages to play.

 

[Dannydet]

Android and automobiles basically suck at this point.
I stay away from all of that.
What did work for me is Dragon naturally speaking quite well.

 

[RASelkirk]

...I've been a Software Developer for over 20 years and my opinion thus far is Android Auto is both unstable and poorly thought out...

If you ever figure out how to remove this garbage, please post back. I've done the "uninstall" routine yet whenever I plug my phone in to charge, that cr@p still comes up on the screen!

Russ

 

[consultant]

I cleared and deleted cache and data and reinstalled and that seemed to help but days later I'm back to craziness...

Latest update AA. Android 8.0. And yes, Google Assistant on the phone recognizes the same voice commands no problem. Doesn't matter if I'm connected to the car or not.

 

[lunatic59]

The wife will be picking up a new Jeep Cherokee on Saturday with Android Auto. We'll see how it works for us.

Honestly, it appears to be a confusion between Auto and Assistant. I know that if I'm sitting in my office and say "okay Google" it's a crapshoot whether my phone, my smartwatch or my Google home mini will answer. And, depending on which one picks up, will determine the response. There should be a place in your account that gives priority to specific devices and passes off to that regardless of which answers. Of course, that could be a programming nightmare.