In early August, more users received Google’s updated music player redesign for Android Auto. Many questioned why core elements were altered without any functional purpose. The album art box was made smaller, the seek bar was thinned and narrowed, important text was compressed, and the background was no longer drawn from the art. Thankfully, I haven’t received this UI update yet, but I already dislike it. It made me realize an important Android Auto issue: its user interface and user experience suffer with each change Google rolls out.
Google’s design goal for Android Auto, at least as stated in its marketing material, is to keep drivers “focused on the road.” But what does this really mean? As a driver, a functional, human-centric, practical, and reliable interface would foster focus in the car. There’s a reason why certain in-car elements remain standard across most vehicles. The less time a driver spends searching for or looking at a UI element, the more concentration and focus is paid to the road. Therefore, a user interface environment should support these needs, right? I’d argue that recent Android Auto updates and several existing UI issues have not.