Android Auto 14 beta arrives and it sets the groundwork for major changes

There’s a new version of Android Auto rolling out in beta, ushering in a number of changes. But if you were hoping for new features, you might be disappointed.

Android Auto has seen increased interest over the last couple of months, as there are clues to Google wanting the smartphone-based software to control more of what happens in your car.

The new Android Auto 14 beta continues this, but not with public-facing changes. Details pointing to controls for defrosting the front and rear windows of your car are lurking within the code for the new app, but don’t connect to any actual feature that’s yet available. The details were uncovered by 9to5Google.

We’ve seen similar moves recently from Google, with reference to temperature controls spotted in a previous version of the software. This suggests Google is about to make a bigger move to offer control over a car’s systems.

Currently, Android Auto focuses on four major pillars – navigation, calling, entertainment and messaging. The beauty of using a smartphone-based system in your car is that everything is there, signed in, with an experience that’s familiar like your phone.

But, it’s long been known that Android Auto (and Apple CarPlay) have bigger ambitions to control more of your car. That’s offered in Android Automotive (effectively the built-in version of Android Auto that you’ll find in the likes of Volvo and Polestar), but these hints suggest that there’s more coming.

What else could Android Auto control in a car?

The climate control system is the obvious place that Google could turn, as it’s one of the major systems that a car offers.

Moving those controls into the screen on the display that’s dominated by Android Auto could mean that they are easier to reach, although most cars still have a separate section for these elements.

Beyond that, there’s the car’s own entertainment hardware. Most come with a radio tuner and this could give Android Auto access to more options beyond streaming – without the user having to worry about switching between interfaces.

That’s something that has popped up before, with USB media also uncovered. All this points to an Android Auto experience that could do a lot more than is currently offered. Of course, car manufacturers would need to be onboard with these changes to support anything from a hardware side – and that suggests that current cars might not be supported.

However, it’s hard not to see this as Google lining its ducks up to offer a more involved Android Auto system on future cars. Exactly when that might happen remains to be seen.