Sagar holds a bachelor’s degree in electronics engineering from Swami Vivekananda Technical University in Bhilai. He later completed his MBA in finance and marketing from SSIM, Hyderabad. Sagar is also a Google-certified Digital Sales and Marketing professional and has a Six Sigma White Belt in Business. He also holds certification in SEO, Bing Ads from Microsoft, and Business Analytics.
Sagar started his career in finance after earning an MBA, working at a leading multinational corporation in London. However, his passion for technology eventually led him to shift gears and explore content writing. His journey began with ThemeFoxx, where he discovered his knack for simplifying complex tech topics. Over time, he expanded his expertise, writing for some of the most well-known tech publications and IT brands. His bylines now appear in over a dozen outlets, including SlashGear, Neowin, TechPP, Android Police, SamMobile, Android Headlines, Guiding Tech, and Tech Wiser.
With his vast experience of almost a decade, Sagar is adept at crafting breaking news articles, insightful how-tos, engaging listicles, and informative explainers. He also has the expertise necessary to tackle any technology-related topic.
When you turn on Android Auto, the first app you open is typically Google Maps or Spotify. Maps gets you from A to B, while Spotify lets you listen to your favorite music. But your car’s screen can do a lot more than that. With the right apps, Android Auto can handle podcasts, car expenses, storm radar, EV charging, and messages. There are several Android Auto apps that make it much more fun. Android Auto isn’t simply about Google Maps. Want more ideas afterward? Here are 5 apps that make Android Auto useful in ways Google Maps simply can’t.
Android Auto can do more than navigation
No, we’re not talking about banking apps
Android Auto doesn’t run every app on your phone. Google has a set list of approved categories such as navigation, point-of-interest (like parking and charging), IoT, weather, and media. That’s the reason you’ll never see your banking app on the dashboard. And frankly, no one would want to see their savings get debited as they drive.
You first need to install the app on your Android smartphone. Only then will the app show up on the Android Auto home screen. If it doesn’t, then you need to open Android Auto settings on your phone and add the app’s shortcut. Just a reminder, you should do this while you are parked and not while driving.
Below is the list of five apps that you should get for Android Auto.
Pocket Casts
Podcasts without scrolling
Spotify was my go-to music and podcast app on Android Auto, and millions worldwide use it. However, I recently switched to Pocket Casts for my daily drive, and I noticed how little tapping it needs. That’s a big deal when your eyes should be on the road.
On Android Auto, Pocket Casts’ interface offers quick playlists like “New Releases” and “In Progress.” So, you only see the episodes that match the content that you listen to, and it just gives you more of what you want. It also lets you change playback speed using Google’s standard Material You design, so everything looks and feels like the rest of your dashboard. Google Maps can’t do any of that, because it’s built for directions, not for managing a listening queue.
One small thing to note is that if a setting doesn’t appear on the car screen, you can change it in the phone app. Set up your playlists before you leave home, and you won’t need to touch anything on the road. That’s the ease you get from listening to podcasts with Pocket Casts, not something I got with Spotify.
Pocket Casts
- OS
- Android, iOS, Web
- Price model
- Premium
Fuelio
Know what your car really costs
Often we lose track of fuel expenses that we make while we go for a drive. The main purpose of Fuelio isn’t to help you drive. Rather, it helps you understand what driving costs you. It’s a free Android app that tracks your mileage, fuel use, and fuel spending. Additionally, it also lets you log other costs like service and insurance, so that you know how much your money is going out while maintaining a car.
Fuelio can also send reminders for maintenance. I’ve started logging my fill-ups right at the pump instead of trying to remember them later. The best part is that with the Android Auto app, it gets much quicker, since you don’t need to pick up your phone.
One setup tip: you’ll need to give Fuelio location access, or it won’t show your position properly in Android Auto. It is one of the apps that I would highly recommend every Android Auto user to install. You can track your expenses and make sure not to overdo it if you find a leak in your spending.
fuel
Fuelio: gas log & gas prices
- OS
- Android
- Price model
- Freemium
Weather & Radar
See the storm before you drive into it
Google Maps will show you traffic and the fastest way to your destination. But it won’t show you rain or a thunderstorm moving toward your route. That’s where Weather & Radar comes in. It’s a full weather app for Android Auto with live radar, and the map updates automatically as you drive. This way, you can keep your eyes on the road while staying prepared for upcoming weather changes. You can now run it in split-screen next to your other apps on the dashboard.
It’s become a staple for my long drives. I check it before long highway stretches, mostly to decide whether to wait out a storm or keep going. You get information about cloud cover, lightning, and precipitation type. Reading the map takes no time at all. Blue means rain, pink means snow, orange means freezing rain, and yellow circles mark lightning strikes.
You do need to be connected to the internet for the live updates to work. But that shouldn’t be much of a problem, since you will, anyway, be connected to the internet throughout your driving. It’s just that in patchy network areas, it can be an issue.
Weather & Radar
- OS
- Android
- Price model
- Free, Paid
SpotHero
Finds you a parking spot before you reach the block
Circling a crowded city block is one of the most stressful parts of any drive. After spending a good amount of time driving to your destination, finding a perfect spot for parking without getting a ticket is tricky. While Google Maps can show you where parking might be, SpotHero lets you reserve a spot ahead of time.
Notably, you can book in advance and save up to 50%. The process is also quite simple. You need to enter your dates and times, compare garages and rates, make the payment, and follow the directions on the app. You don’t have to do all that on your phone, as there isn’t much you can do from the Android Auto screen.
It’s quite useful if you drive to work. You can create a business profile that keeps work and personal parking separate from each other, and it can send receipts to tools like Concur and Expensify. Do keep in mind that SpotHero is a US and Canada service and not available elsewhere.
SpotHero
- OS
- iOS, Android
- Price model
- Free
Shows you the charger your car accepts
If you drive an EV, this is a must-have app for you. A charger on a map doesn’t mean a charger that works for your car. PlugShare is built to fix that problem. You can filter by plug type, including CHAdeMO and SAE/CCS, and by charging speed, from Level 1 to DC fast chargers. You can also filter by charging network. This way, you will head over to the exact charging station that your car supports.
That becomes crucial when you’re low on battery and arrive at a station with the wrong plug. That’s the last thing you’d need. You can help fellow EV owners by adding new stations as you find them, helping the map to improve and stay updated.
On Android Auto, you can browse nearby charging locations, bookmarked spots, and trips you’ve already planned. Simply tap a charger, and PlugShare will open your favorite navigation app, so Google Maps can still handle the directions.
PlugShare
PlugShare helps electric vehicle owners find nearby charging stations using an interactive map with details on charger types, availability, and charging speeds. It also provides user reviews, photos, and trip-planning tools to help drivers locate compatible chargers along their routes.
There’s more to Android Auto than Google Maps
Google Maps will always be the app that leads your navigation. But the drive itself is more than directions. These five apps cover the parts Maps leaves out: what your fuel really costs, what’s playing on a long stretch of road, whether a storm’s ahead, where you’ll park, and whether that charger actually works. You don’t need to install everything today. Choose one app that fixes your biggest headache, set it up before your next trip, and see the change. There are also a bunch of Android Auto apps that can save you some real money.