After replacing Google Assistant with Gemini, Google’s next big plan for Android Auto is to let you play cartoon arcade racing games in a full-size sedan. The next update to Android Auto 14.1 is to add some games to your car’s touch screen. Yes, until you ask, it is only available when parked. Again, if Tesla owners had previously encountered gaming misfortune on the road is any evidence, then maybe the car company could calm down by providing features that should be reserved for our phone or dedicated gaming devices.
Google first promoted gaming apps on Android Auto as it discussed the March 4th pixel drop. The first few games launched in the new Android Auto 14.1 beta update include Farm Hero Legend,,,,, Candy Soda,,,,, Angry Birds 2and Beach Off-Road Racing. 9to5google shows videos of this feature together with the connected Google Pixel 9 Pro folder. Users are obviously trying to control the beach off-road vehicle, leaning one finger against the driver’s seat. Even on larger screens, it is easy to use two thumbs directly on the screen, with two thumbs in front. But, I’m sure if you’ve ever been stuck in the car while waiting for another child to leave school race, you can see the value in the extra attention.
These games may not be optimized for Android Auto. The website mentions Angry Birds 2 Failed to start and then was “grayed” in the app drawer. Beach Off-Road Racing The option for tilt control is still shown, and we suspect many people put the gyroscope sensor on their hydraulic suspension to feel tighter arcade racing controls.
Google does have a video played by users Farm Hero Legend And the game is great for the aspect ratio of the car, so we will see if all compatible vehicles are still the case when fully released. The full screen app experience is not suitable for someone in the driver’s seat, but it may work well for a kid waiting in the sound sea water. Still, no matter which seat you sit in, the center console seems to be the worst place to play the game.
This feature seems irrelevant, but for very few users. The ability to access YouTube on Android Auto seems more like a shoo when parked, but the focus on the game seems to be an effort to attract more Tesla buyers. Tesla cars may play some games locally since 2019, although the electric car company run by Elon Musk has achieved high temperatures after drivers start playing games while moving. Tesla then blocked its gaming features when the car was threatened by federal investigators.
Google may see gaming as a way to get users interested in Android-based autonomous driving. The inevitable next step is to have Google’s empire put Android in all its self-driving cars (provided by Waymo), which is really the only place to make sense of games.
Or, of course, you can unplug your smartphone and play games there.
