Waze doesn’t fully support Android Auto’s split-screen redesign just yet

Ben Schoon | Nov 14 2022 - 11:10 am PT

After a long delay, Google has finally released its redesign of Android Auto into beta as of this week. However, Waze users are getting the short end of the stick, as the app doesn’t yet fully support the Android Auto redesign’s best feature.

Several Android Auto users on Reddit have found that the platform’s redesign, known to many for its codename “Coolwalk,” doesn’t support Waze in split-screen mode.

Split-screen is a key feature of the Android Auto redesign, but requires app support. When apps do support the feature, like Google Maps does, users are able to view navigation and other apps, such as media apps, side-by-side. But Waze, for the time being, only supports the Android Auto redesign in fullscreen.

As pictured below, Waze takes over the full experience, as opposed to Google Maps which only takes up 2/3 of the screen as seen in Google’s renders and our own hands-on above. Google Maps can look like this too, by tapping on the “card” that it shows in. Waze, though, does not support the “card” view.

Google is rolling out the Android Auto redesign as of last week to users enrolled in the beta program, but not allowing for new sign-ups at this time. The redesign is expanding on an accelerated basis to those who are enrolled, but may not be available for all beta testers just yet.