Google tests Earth: a new Android Auto widget feature for smarter, customizable car dashboards

Google is working on a new widget feature for Android Auto that will make vehicle screens more flexible. In the future, users will be able to place widgets from their smartphone apps directly on the car display.

New widget feature for Android Auto

Google is developing an innovative widget feature for Android Auto that is intended to significantly improve the vehicle dashboard. The new feature allows users to transfer widgets from their smartphone apps directly to the Android Auto display and has the internal code name “Earth”. The function promises a much more flexible design of the dashboard or infotainment display.

The widget functionality was discovered in beta version 5.6.154404-release.daily of the Android Auto app and was already available from Android Authority be activated. As the renowned Android site writes, users can access a new menu item called “Customize Earth” via the Android Auto settings, which opens a specially developed management interface for widgets. The system presents itself as a “Widget Companion” with a plus button in the header that can be used to add new widgets.

Split screen with limitations

The widget system divides the Android Auto home screen into two separate areas. The widget panel takes up about 35 to 40 percent of the screen width, while the right area uses the remaining 60 to 65 percent for other content. A slider at the bottom of the screen allows you to adjust the size of the selected widgets. However, the current implementation only supports a single widget at a time – selecting a new widget automatically replaces the previous one.

Initial practical tests revealed clear differences in widget compatibility. The Pixel Weather widget worked most reliably, displaying accurate real-time weather information when location sharing was enabled. Spotify widgets displayed playback controls correctly, but when tapping the album art, a warning appeared that this feature was not available in Android Auto. Widgets from Gemini and the clock app were also tested, with different results.

Of course, that’s not surprising: the widget function is still in the early stages of development, so further improvements and better app compatibility can be expected in future Android Auto updates. Many widgets are currently not optimized for the specific requirements of the vehicle environment, which leads to various functional limitations. Google has not yet communicated a specific timetable for the public introduction of the widget function. The company is probably still working on optimizing the user interface and compatibility with various app developers.