Andy Walker / Android Authority
TL;DR
- The latest Android Auto v16.7 includes code for a new climate control interface, indicating the feature is still in development and not abandoned.
- Controls have moved from the bottom rail to the side edges, offering larger buttons that are easier to use on wide car screens.
- The current layout favors left-hand-drive vehicles. It remains to be seen if Google will add a toggle for right-hand-drive markets.
Last year, we spotted Google finally working to bring HVAC controls to Android Auto. This would allow users to control several in-car settings without needing to switch out of Android Auto into their car’s head unit OS. We even managed to get an early look at the HVAC controls within Android Auto back then. However, Google has remained silent about this feature, and we couldn’t find any further progress in the code. With the latest Android Auto, we’re finally seeing some progress that reassures us that the feature isn’t shelved yet.
In our previous spotting (see the image below), the HVAC controls were located on the bottom rail, alongside your pinned app icons.
AssembleDebug / Android Authority
The latest Android Auto v16.7.161544 release includes code for a newer UI for the upcoming HVAC controls within Android Auto. We managed to activate it to give you an early look:
The new UI, called “hero” in the app code, moves the climate controls to the left and right edges of the display. Most car head units are wider rather than taller, so users will find that the climate control buttons take up less usable screen real estate. The buttons are bigger and more spread out, making them easier to tap without getting distracted.
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However, placing the bulk of the climate controls on the left side could make it difficult to use in regions with right-hand-drive vehicles (like Australia, India, the UK, and others). Hopefully, Google builds and includes a setting to toggle which side of the display the primary controls are placed whenever it decides to roll out the feature.
We haven’t heard from Google about climate control support within Android Auto. This feature is a long time coming, so we hope Google announces it soon.
⚠️ An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release.
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