Android Auto Finally Has A Fix For Weirdly-Shaped Screens

https://www.theautopian.com/android-auto-finally-has-a-fix-for-weirdly-shaped-screens/

Publish Date: 2026-05-13 13:18:00

Ever tried to force a square peg in a round hole? That’s more or less what connecting Android Auto to something like a new Mini or a recent Cadillac results in. Not for much longer, though. On Tuesday, Google announced a major Android Auto update—that’s the smartphone-mirroring function, not the native operating system—and it seems to be the fix for weirdly-shaped screens.

For better or worse, the idea that screens must be rectangular is well and truly dead. From BMW’s latest six-sided screen to Mini’s circle to Mercedes-Benz’s dashboard-wide drive-thru menu, car infotainment screens are getting properly strange. I’ll admit, some of the silhouettes are cool in a “Remember when tech was still fun?” way, but trying to display a rectangular maps window on them always leads to compromise.

The solution? Going full-bleed. This year, Android Auto is expanding beyond the boundaries of a typical window, and the result looks pretty good. Maps that properly fill screens, no wasted space. A big ‘take that!’ in the face of Apple CarPlay, which is still a sub-optimal experience on say, Mini’s cluttered round screen. Plus, Google Maps is getting an update that shows overpasses and buildings in 3D. Far out.

Before-and-after mockup. The “before” is ‘shopped, but you get it. Base photo: GooglePhoto credit: Google

Of course, maps that fit aren’t the only upgrade on display here. Since Apple CarPlay added customizable home screen widgets, it only makes sense that Google’s hot on Apple’s heels in the smartphone mirroring race. Right off the rip, the latest Android Auto press pack shows a photo widget, a phone automation widget, and a weather widget. Handy if you have the top down or the sunroof open and are looking to stay ahead of the next rainfall. At the same time, YouTube joins the party for video streaming when you’re parked, and it can pick up audio streaming of video podcasts and such when you’re on the move. Handy for say,…

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