Photo: Google/autoevolution edits
Software developers sometimes need more time to diagnose bugs and release fixes, but in the Android Auto world, things often go out of control, with widespread issues sticking around for years.
A Coolwalk bug that caused half of the screen and the taskbar to freeze was still around approximately one year after the multi-view interface launched, with some users complaining about the same problem today. Issues impacting certain Samsung phones have been around for months, and the involved parent companies can't seem to find a way to resolve them.
Another bug that first occurred in the summer of 2023 keeps causing headaches to users today.
Last year, someone reported on Google's forums that the volume control was disabled in their car when Android Auto was running. An error message on the screen told them, "audio is paused, volume will not be adjusted."
Listening to music, playing a podcast, or talking on the phone works correctly, but adjusting the volume doesn't work. If the sound comes from the mobile device – when running a non-Android Auto app, the audio is routed to the speakers correctly, but users cannot adjust the volume.
The glitch has already been confirmed by several other users who hit it since August 2023, and despite Google's support staff asking for more information and promising an investigation, a fix never landed.
If you believe you've heard about similar problems somewhere else, you're right. The same thing happened in the CarPlay world several years ago, with users no longer being allowed to adjust volume control due to Waze. The navigation app received an update that incorrectly handled audio controls (navigation apps have access to volume controls because drivers can independently adjust the audio for the spoken navigation guidance). Removing Waze resolved the glitch until the parent company shipped a fix.
It's unclear what's causing the problem in this case, but users couldn't find a workaround. Google never released a fix despite more users confirming the broken behavior. Over 100 people have clicked the "me too" button in the discussion thread on Google's forums.
The Android Auto version running on the device doesn't make a difference. Users claim they experience the same behavior with old and new builds, and the volume control is locked regardless of the version installed on their phones. The generic workarounds, which include simple fixes like clearing the cache and the data, changing cables, and reinstalling Android Auto, do not restore the expected behavior.
Theoretically, Google's investigation continues, but considering how many months have passed since the first bug reported landed, the chances are that a fix will never go live. If you somehow managed to find a workaround, please share in the comment box below to help other fellow Android Auto users hitting the same error.
Another bug that first occurred in the summer of 2023 keeps causing headaches to users today.
Last year, someone reported on Google's forums that the volume control was disabled in their car when Android Auto was running. An error message on the screen told them, "audio is paused, volume will not be adjusted."
Listening to music, playing a podcast, or talking on the phone works correctly, but adjusting the volume doesn't work. If the sound comes from the mobile device – when running a non-Android Auto app, the audio is routed to the speakers correctly, but users cannot adjust the volume.
The glitch has already been confirmed by several other users who hit it since August 2023, and despite Google's support staff asking for more information and promising an investigation, a fix never landed.
If you believe you've heard about similar problems somewhere else, you're right. The same thing happened in the CarPlay world several years ago, with users no longer being allowed to adjust volume control due to Waze. The navigation app received an update that incorrectly handled audio controls (navigation apps have access to volume controls because drivers can independently adjust the audio for the spoken navigation guidance). Removing Waze resolved the glitch until the parent company shipped a fix.
It's unclear what's causing the problem in this case, but users couldn't find a workaround. Google never released a fix despite more users confirming the broken behavior. Over 100 people have clicked the "me too" button in the discussion thread on Google's forums.
The Android Auto version running on the device doesn't make a difference. Users claim they experience the same behavior with old and new builds, and the volume control is locked regardless of the version installed on their phones. The generic workarounds, which include simple fixes like clearing the cache and the data, changing cables, and reinstalling Android Auto, do not restore the expected behavior.
Theoretically, Google's investigation continues, but considering how many months have passed since the first bug reported landed, the chances are that a fix will never go live. If you somehow managed to find a workaround, please share in the comment box below to help other fellow Android Auto users hitting the same error.
Google News