17:38 06-02-2026

Android Auto adds radio and climate control integration

Google is reviving radio and climate control features in Android Auto, aiming to eliminate the need to exit the system for car interfaces. Learn about the updates.

Google has quietly revived features that were mentioned a year ago but never reached Android Auto users. The beta version 16.2 shows new traces of radio and climate control integration—two capabilities that could eliminate the need for drivers to exit Android Auto to access the car's interface.

What's happening with radio in Android Auto

Currently, Android Auto only allows listening to internet radio or smartphone media libraries. To switch to classic FM/AM radio, users must exit to the car's native system. Google has long aimed to bridge this gap.

Initially, a simplified option was considered—built-in radio station shortcuts that would take users directly to the relevant multimedia section. However, development stalled, and now Google, based on code in version 16.2, is again seeking a deeper integration method, likely tied to a unified API for different vehicles.

The return of virtual climate control

Google is also re-exploring the possibility of managing temperature and airflow directly from Android Auto. Many modern cars have moved climate controls to touchscreens, which can be inconvenient while driving, and Google wants to compensate for this with virtual buttons on the system's display.

Code traces in version 16.2 confirm that work has resumed, but it's too early to discuss final implementation—support from manufacturers and safety interface testing will be required.

Apple

Apple CarPlay has promoted deep vehicle integration for several years, including displaying climate settings and sensor readings, but a comprehensive shared solution across automakers doesn't exist yet. Android Auto is traditionally more flexible due to its wide range of supported devices, but suffers from fragmentation—each brand uses its own software, making it difficult for Google to establish a unified standard. In Tesla and some Chinese brand systems, climate control is built directly into the car's OS, which speeds up management but closes the ecosystem to third-party solutions.

If Google manages to implement radio and climate control management at the Android Auto level, the system will approach the universality of CarPlay 2.0 and gain a real advantage in daily use, reducing reliance on disparate automaker interfaces.