Android Auto has turned the car dashboard into a connected display, but many drivers still use it mainly for navigation and music. A growing set of apps now extends Android Auto into meetings, parking, charging, maintenance, safety, smart home control, and even in-car entertainment.
Here are eight Android Auto-compatible apps that go beyond maps and playlists.
Zoom: Audio-first meetings on the road
Zoom on Android Auto is designed for audio-only use, with a simplified interface focused on large buttons for mute, unmute, and hang up. Video is not shown to keep attention on driving.
The main advantage is calendar integration. Upcoming meetings appear as a list on the dashboard, and a dedicated Join button surfaces shortly before each call. This lets drivers connect to scheduled meetings with a single tap while keeping the interface minimal.
SpotHero: Reserve parking before you arrive
SpotHero is a parking marketplace that helps drivers find and reserve spots in major U.S. cities such as Chicago, New York, and San Francisco. Pricing often includes deals and discounts.
Reservations are made in advance in the mobile app, where drivers can select a garage, confirm times, and update vehicle details. On Android Auto, SpotHero is focused on trip execution: checking existing bookings, getting directions, and pulling up reservation details on the phone, instead of browsing for new spots while driving.
PlugShare: Community data for EV charging
PlugShare is aimed at electric vehicle drivers who need reliable charging information. Its core feature is PlugScore, a 0–10 reliability rating based on user reviews and photos of charging locations.
Trips planned in the PlugShare phone app, including selected charging stops, are synced to the car’s display. For many stations, PlugShare also shows real-time status, indicating whether chargers are available, in use, or out of service before drivers commit to an exit.
Fuelio: Track fuel costs and maintenance
Fuelio replaces paper logs for tracking a vehicle’s running costs. It records refueling, fuel consumption, mileage, and service events, and can generate reminders for maintenance.
On Android Auto, Fuelio surfaces the essentials: nearby gas stations, refueling logs, and trip recording. It uses crowdsourced price data to help drivers locate cheaper fuel, which can be useful for high-mileage drivers watching long-term costs.
MyRadar: Weather intelligence for routes
MyRadar goes beyond basic forecasts with a feature called RouteCast. It analyzes conditions along a chosen route, including road temperature, crosswinds, and potential surface hazards.
RouteCast updates roughly every 15 minutes, providing a forward-looking view of what drivers can expect upon arrival. If severe weather such as snow is forecast to hit a destination at a specific time, MyRadar can indicate whether leaving earlier might avoid the worst conditions.
Scanner Radio: Listen to live emergency channels
Scanner Radio streams more than 8,000 live audio feeds from police, fire, and emergency services around the world. Listener counts can act as an informal signal that a major event is unfolding before it appears in news reports.
In the car, drivers can browse feeds by distance to monitor the area they are traveling through. For long road trips or major traffic jams, listening to local highway or emergency channels can help explain disruptions and offer a sense of how long they may last.
Samsung SmartThings: Link your car to your smart home
Samsung SmartThings extends smart home control to the car’s dashboard. Through Android Auto, drivers can trigger Modes and Routines that automate multiple actions based on location.
For example, a geofenced “coming home” routine can open the garage door and gently turn on hallway lights as the car approaches. The Android Auto interface limits how many devices are shown to reduce distraction. Some users may notice a slower initial startup, but performance generally improves once the app is running.
GameSnacks: Simple games while parked
GameSnacks brings a library of lightweight, touch-friendly games to the car. Titles such as 2048, Cannon Hero, and Unblock That are designed for quick sessions on the dashboard screen.
For safety reasons, GameSnacks only works when the car is parked. It is aimed at the idle time many drivers spend waiting in parking lots, during charging sessions, or at pick-ups, offering an alternative to scrolling on a phone.
From radio replacement to in-car companion
Android Auto is increasingly becoming a full-featured interface for driving, planning, and staying connected, rather than just a way to mirror navigation and music. With the right mix of apps—from meeting tools and parking finders to EV charging planners and smart home dashboards—the infotainment system can act as a practical co-pilot on every trip.