Android Auto and Pixel 6 won't play nice, but Google is working on a fix

As if Android Auto didn’t already have enough to deal with following reports of Google Assistant voice commands breaking, new issues have been reported relating to Android Auto and the Google Pixel 6. 

Avid users of the platform aren't having much luck at the moment when it comes to the infotainment platform. Now the newly-released Google Pixel 6 won't seem to connect and work with some of the best Android Auto unit setups.

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According to several reports on the Google Support forums, Android Auto head units can't successfully detect the device, albeit still able to charge when plugged in. One user is experiencing numerous issues on the new Pixel phone, noting that the device erratically pulls up the "driving assistant mode on the phone screen, and sometimes it doesn't." That's clearly a nuisance when trying to focus on driving. 

The folks over at Auto Evolution report that Google has started an investigation into the issue, though it'll require co-operation from users to figure out exactly what is going on here, as it couldn't reproduce the Pixel issue during internal testing. 

So, if you're a Google Pixel 6 user and are having myriad issues getting the smartphone to work with Android Auto head units, then it could be a good idea to file those bug reports so the Android Auto developers can get to the root of the problem.

If you didn't know, then Android Auto has recently been folded into Google Maps and the transition has caused problems. Add to that a wave of new updates and there's certainly been an uptick in bug reports. Hopefully, Google can soon patch this or offer a viable workaround. We'll keep you posted as and when it does.