A recent Android Auto update has altered the way Google Maps looks Defaulting to a centered view is making it difficult to see live location Workaround requires closing the search bar, which is irritating and distracting Google has recently updated its Google Maps software on vehicle head units and infotainment systems that are compatible with Android Auto,

The latest update to Android Auto has made a slight UI change to Google Maps. The change is now causing some issues.

Android Auto's great for plenty of reasons, but personally, I rely on it for navigation more than anything else. Responding to messages or controlling media playback is all icing

Android Auto 13.6 is now available for download; the rollout started on the Play Store, but users can also update using the APK installer

The Google Maps app for Android Auto now centers your arrow on the map, making it tricky to see behind the large destination box.

The latest update to Android Auto, v13.6, doesn’t change this behavior, nor it is the cause. In our testing, we found the centered UI to be live on Android Auto v13.4, but it only showed up after updating to the latest Google Maps version.

Google is preparing to launch its "car-ready mobile apps program" for Android Automotive OS in February 2025, which will immensely increase the number of apps available for vehicles running this operating system. This will bring more applications to cars with Google built-in, not to be confused with Android Auto. More on it below.