Android Auto supports 3 main types of system widgets for helping users multitask:
Dialer widgets for controlling ongoing phone calls
Navigation widgets for showing turn-by-turn instructions when not in maps
Media widgets for controlling ongoing media play while in other apps
Widgets show the app icon plus app information or up to 3 app controls. The decision about which widget to show in the nav bar at any given time is based on what apps are open and what their relative priorities are for drivers.
Dialer widgets
If the user is engaged in a phone call while another type of app is showing onscreen, the dialer widget appears in the nav bar. With the dialer widget, the user can control the phone call without switching screens.
Here, the dialer widget provides options to mute or end the call without switching away from the map screen
Navigation widgets
The navigation widget provides helpful turn-by-turn information when the map screen is not showing.
Here, the navigation widget provides information about an upcoming turn while the user is browsing and playing media
Media widgets
The media widget provides up to 3 controls for content that is playing when the media app is not showing onscreen. App developers can decide which controls are most useful to show for their apps.
The examples below show versions of the media widget used for two different media apps.
YouTube Music
This media widget shows the YouTube Music logo and controls for skipping backward, pausing music play, or skipping forward to the next track
Podcast
This media widget for a podcast app provides options to go back in time, pause the podcast, or skip forward in time
[null,null,["Last updated 2024-07-23 UTC."],[[["Android Auto uses system widgets like dialer, navigation, and media widgets to help users multitask while driving."],["Widgets display app icons and relevant information or controls, prioritizing driver safety and minimizing distractions."],["Dialer widgets provide call controls during ongoing calls, navigation widgets offer turn-by-turn directions, and media widgets allow music and podcast control."],["App developers can customize media widgets by selecting up to 3 controls to enhance user experience within Android Auto."]]],[]]
