Adamya Sharma / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Google is fixing the previous issues with wallpaper-based theming on Android Auto.
- With this update, base palettes in Android Auto sync more seamlessly with your phone.
- The update is currently in beta, but some people have also started seeing it in the stable version, suggesting a gradual rollout.
Since the official launch of Android 16’s stable version, Google has been refreshing many apps with its new “Expressive” design language. Meanwhile, Android Auto, the app that receives far fewer glimpses, and mostly brief ones, is now adopting Google’s older and more prevalent theming style with Material You. With this update, the colors in the Android Auto interface on your car’s head unit will now match the wallpaper on your Android phone.
While Google first started testing Material You theming for Android Auto last year, there were some issues with color consistency, and it supported only limited colors. However, 9to5Google recently noted that these limitations appear to have been fixed with the latest 14.9 beta update of Android Auto, allowing the interface to sync correctly with the colors on your Android device.
The colors now apply consistently to different elements, and are most evident on the Settings app when you access them from within the car. The colors automatically also refresh when you change the wallpaper, aligning with the color scheme on your phone.
While 9to5Google spotted these changes on the latest beta version, a few people also reported seeing the splash of colors on their cars’ units with the stable version, suggesting Google may have begun rolling it out.
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