Google is shutting down its Assistant-powered Driving Mode | Engadget

After saying it at I/O 2019, teasing it in 2020 and eventually launching it formally final 12 months, Google is shutting down the Assistant Driving Mode dashboard, 9to5Google reported. The function offers customers an Android Auto-lite expertise on their smartphone whereas driving, and was successfully a substitute for the Android Auto smartphone app, which itself was killed last year.

Assistant Driving Mode reveals a house screen-style web page with Google Assistant up prime, a music participant and quantity controls beneath that, and buttons to make a name or ship a message. It might be accessed from the Assistant by saying “Hey Google, launch Driving Mode,” or pinned to your own home display.

If you are complicated the Assistant Driving Mode with the Google Maps function additionally referred to as Driving Mode (above), that is comprehensible. Rather than launching from Assistant or the house display, although, the Google Maps model launches from a four-dot menu at backside proper once you begin navigation. Once open, it reveals a row of huge icons for calls, messages, and media apps which can be simple to see and entry whereas driving. Weirdly, once you first launch that mode inside Maps, it gives to pin the different Driving Mode to your own home display.

Google is shutting down Assistant Driving Mode as a result of it seen that most individuals had been simply utilizing the Maps model, it advised 9to5Google. However, people could not have even recognized the Assistant model existed due to the naming confusion and similarity between the apps. Google ought to possibly make clear the state of affairs round navigation and leisure for people who do not have Android Auto constructed into their automobiles, as a result of it is fairly darn complicated.