GrapheneOS, a privacy-focused version of Android, is adding Android Auto support

Ben Schoon | Jan 3 2024 - 8:45 am PT

When buying a new car, it’s become almost a requirement to support Android Auto and CarPlay among buyers. So, it equally makes sense that a smartphone without that support would also be a relatively tough sell. That’s why it’s great news that GrapheneOS, a privacy-focused version of Android, is adding support for Android Auto.

GrapheneOS is a custom software build based on Android. It has the look and feel of a Pixel smartphone, but removes Google apps and services by default and adds a ton of additional security features. The experience has been available for a few years now, and you can even buy a Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro pre-loaded with GrapheneOS as the “Nitro Phone 4.”

One big downside to GrapheneOS over the years, though, has been that you can’t run Android Auto with it. That’s because the Android fork puts Google services in a sandbox, which made Android Auto inoperable for quite some time. But that’s about to change.

As detailed in a thread on Mastodon, GrapheneOS is adding Android Auto support in its “next release.”

The new addition is currently in “final testing” and should show up for Alpha users very soon. Apparently, GrapheneOS will have granular permissions for Auto, including options to allow wired and/or wireless connections, as well as being able to turn off or on audio routing and phone call controls. Android Auto won’t be enabled by default, though, and users will need to manually turn it on.