8 Android Auto apps that have nothing to do with music or maps (but you need them)

Remember the switch from a basic Nokia to your first smartphone?

Your car’s dashboard changed in the same way. What was once a bunch of dials and buttons has turned into a digital hub, all thanks to Android Auto.

But even though millions of cars support it, most people only use Android Auto for Google Maps to get around and Spotify for their music.

We’re barely scratching the surface of what’s possible, so let’s look at a few other essential apps that deserve a spot on your screen.

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By  Rahul Naskar

Zoom on Android Auto simplifies on-the-go calls

Zoom came to Android Auto with one clear goal. To make on-the-go meetings easier. Now, having meetings while driving is neither safe nor recommended.

But, if you’re the kind of person who joins Zoom calls while driving, you’re probably not going to care what I say anyway.

Luckily, when you open Zoom on your car’s display, it’s nothing like the busy gallery view on your laptop.

Instead, it switches to audio-only mode that puts safety first. The design is also minimal with large buttons for muting, unmuting, and hanging up.

The best feature isn’t the call screen itself but how you get there. Zoom integrates with your calendar.

You can scroll through a simple list of upcoming meetings and join with a single tap. When you have a meeting coming up, a Join button appears on your dashboard.

SpotHero saves you time and money on parking

Nothing kills a mood like circling a city block for twenty minutes looking for a spot.

SpotHero is a marketplace that lets you find and reserve parking in major cities like Chicago, NYC, and San Francisco.

If you’re lucky, you can even snag a better price by using deals. To get started, find and book a spot using the SpotHero mobile app.

You can make changes like updating your vehicle, but make sure to do that before using the app on Android Auto.

If you think you’re going to browse for cheap garage rates while doing 70 MPH on the turnpike, think again. SpotHero on Android Auto assumes you are a responsible adult who planned.

When that’s done, you can use it in the car to check your booking, get directions, and open the details on your phone.

PlugShare helps EV drivers find reliable chargers

If you drive an EV, Google Maps is okay at finding chargers, but it is terrible at telling you if they actually work.

PlugShare is the community-driven solution that every EV owner needs. Its primary feature is the PlugScore.

PlugShare has a reliability rating from 0 to 10 based on user-contributed reviews and photos.

If you’ve planned a long-distance trip on your phone, the app syncs those charging stops with your dashboard, mapping out exactly where you need to stop.

Best of all, it gives you a real-time status check for most stations, letting you know if a charger is in use, under repair, or available for public use before you commit to taking the exit.

Fuelio tracks gas usage and service reminders easily

Back in the day, I used to keep a notebook to track all my vehicle’s maintenance and other details.

Fuelio makes everything easier. It’s a simple app with no bloat that takes care of everything from gas usage to service reminders.

On the Android Auto screen, the interface shows just the essentials like nearby stations, refueling logs, and trip recording.

What I like about Fuelio is that it uses crowdsourced data to find the cheapest gas near you. If you’re driving over a thousand miles a month, every cent saved really adds up.

MyRadar predicts road hazards ahead

Standard weather apps are great at telling you what you already know. Yes, it’s raining. Thank you, I have a windshield, I can see that.

MyRadar, however, tells you why you shouldn’t be on the road. Its RouteCast feature analyzes the road temperature, cross-winds, and surface hazards for every point along your chosen route.

It updates every 15 minutes, giving you a predictive look at what the conditions will be like by the time you get there.

So, for example, if a snowstorm is going to hit your destination three hours from now, MyRadar suggests an earlier departure time to beat the freeze.

Scanner Radio gives you live access to emergency feeds

Scanner Radio is one of those apps that sounds niche until you actually need it.

It gives you access to over 8,000 live audio feeds from police, fire, and emergency services globally. I use it for listener alerts.

If a specific scanner near me suddenly spikes to over 2,500 listeners, it usually means something big is happening before it ever hits the local news.

In the car, the interface keeps it simple.

You can browse by distance to see the area you’re driving through. It’s a handy tool for road-trippers.

If there’s a big backup on the highway, you can listen to the local highway patrol scanner to find out what’s causing the delay and how long it might take to clear.

Samsung SmartThings connects your car and smart home

Samsung SmartThings brings your car and home into the same ecosystem. The Android Auto integration is clean and responsive.

Modes and Routines let you trigger several actions based on your location. As soon as I’m inside my geofenced area, the Coming Home scene starts, the garage opens, and the hallway lights come on gently.

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The interface limits the number of entities shown to ensure you aren’t scrolling through 50 light bulbs while trying to drive.

I have noted that it can be a bit slow on the first startup, but after that, performance is solid.

GameSnacks turns your dashboard into a fun arcade

Okay, to be absolutely clear, this app disappears the second you put the car in drive.

We spend a surprising amount of time in our cars doing absolutely nothing. Waiting for an EV to charge, waiting for the kids to finish practice, or waiting for a partner to grab just one thing from the store.

That is where GameSnacks shines.

It’s a built-in library of lightweight games like 2048, Cannon Hero, and Unblock That. These are simple, addictive time-killers specifically designed for touchscreens.

Instead of doom-scrolling on your phone, you can play these on the main dashboard.

It sounds gimmicky until you’re stuck in a parking lot for 15 minutes and realize you just beat your high score in Bubble Woods.

Turning the dashboard into a co-pilot

We’ve definitely come a long way from when car features were just power windows and a tape deck.

As the software on our phones gets smarter, it makes sense that our vehicles keep up.

You don’t need every app on your screen, but the right Android Auto apps can seriously upgrade your time behind the wheel.

Time to stop using your infotainment system like a radio and start using it like the computer it’s designed to be.