Google Adds Gemini AI-Assistant to Android Auto

Google is starting to add its Gemini AI assistant to all of its products, and now, Android Auto is getting the chatbot treatment. 

The company announced on November 20 that Android Auto, which it says is available in more than 250 million vehicles on the road, will support Gemini for Android phone users who have upgraded from the previous Google Assistant system. The system has been rolling out to Android-based smartphones since last year, such as the Google Pixel, certain Samsung Galaxy models, as well as the ZFold 7 and ZFlip 7 phones.

Launched in 2023 as Bard and renamed Gemini in 2024, Google says its newest AI assistant’s conversational abilities are suited to in-car use for getting directions to categories of destinations rather than just a specific location, as well as sending messages rather than canned responses. It can also support features such as Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Tasks, Samsung Calendar, Samsung Reminder, and Samsung Notes. The company says other third-party apps will be offered in the future.

Google is also phasing in Gemini to vehicles with Google Built-In as it replaces the old Google Assistant. In May, Volvo was announced as the first automotive brand to receive Gemini, with 2026 models shipping with a revised Google Automotive OS-based infotainment system. Polestar, an all-electric brand of which Volvo owns a minority stake, announced this week it would add Gemini to its 2026 vehicles through a future software update.

Last month, General Motors said it would add Google Gemini to its vehicles that use Android Automotive-based infotainment systems in 2025, including its electric vehicles such as the Chevrolet Equinox EV and Cadillac Escalade IQ. However, the automaker said it was also developing its own AI software for future models.