Android Auto on Android 12 is buggy and users need answers from Google

Android 12 pledges to be the most personal OS ever, with its dynamic colors and ability to adapt to your preferences. But it doesn't appear to be having a good time on Android Auto – yes, indeed, the new mobile OS is reportedly playing havoc with the in-car infotainment system in the latest of a series of Android Auto bugs.

Ever since users reported that Google Maps was misbehaving on the in-car service, there have been lots of reports surfacing around issues – something which Google has been quick to address and fix, such as the Telegram bug.

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Despite these fixes, we're still seeing reports of a wider malaise in the Android Auto system, especially when it comes to how it operates on Android 12. First spotted by the folks at Auto Evolution, some users can't seem to get Android Auto to run at all, while "others say the app is launching but turns to a black screen seconds after that."

The Android Auto Google Support forum is littered with comments describing a veritable selection of problems: there's dialogue around the same-old Google Maps voice command malfunctioning, users incensed that they can't use Waze, and then there are other posts that say the app is refusing to open on the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S21 and Google Pixel 6. All in all, it's rather bad news.

Android 12 agony

Unfortunately, the common thread between all these posts seems to be Android 12. Google routinely gets back to users on the forums to encourage them to send over reports of the problems they're having, but it's yet to officially respond. The fact of the matter is: nobody likes to see a black screen on any of their devices, be that one of the best Android phones, a screen on the best iPhone, or anything else for that matter. Not only does it signal problems, but can often cause people to panic thinking it means terminal failure. 

However, this isn't the case here. Until the company initiates an investigation, it's hard to say what might be causing the problems to impact so many Android 12 users. For now, it's best to hang tight and wait for Google to roll out a new patch.