When purchasing a new car, it has become almost mandatory for buyers to support Android Auto and CarPlay. It is therefore just as logical that a smartphone without this support is also relatively difficult to sell. That’s why it’s great news that GrapheneOS, a privacy-focused version of Android, is adding support for Android Auto.
GrapheneOS is custom software based on Android. It has the look and feel of a Pixel smartphone, but removes the default Google apps and services and adds a ton of extra security features. The experience has been available for a few years now, and you can even buy a Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro preloaded with GrapheneOS under the name “Nitro Phone 4.”
However, one of the big drawbacks of GrapheneOS over the years is that you can’t run Android Auto with it. In effect, the Android fork places Google services in a sandbox, which made Android Auto unusable for a while. But that is about to change.
As detailed in a thread on Mastodon, GrapheneOS is adding support for Android Auto in its “next release.”
The new addition is currently in “final testing” and should appear for Alpha users very soon. Apparently, GrapheneOS will have granular permissions for Auto, including options to allow wired and/or wireless connections, as well as the ability to disable or enable audio routing and phone call controls. However, Android Auto will not be enabled by default and users will have to enable it manually.
Learn more about Android Auto:
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