Android Auto 16.0 Update Arrives: Google Fails to Fix Major Bug

The rollout of Android Auto 16.0 has commenced and is expected to continue over the coming weeks. However, a significant issue that affects users has shifted the focus: they are unable to respond to messages within Android Auto.

Different devices experience similar issues: Google releases updates even as users are left waiting for fixes to particularly debilitating bugs. For example, the January update for Android fixed a critical security vulnerability, yet Pixel users are still awaiting resolutions for their specific malfunctions.

The scenario is almost identical for Android Auto users. Google’s Mountain View headquarters has initiated the launch of version 16.0, but a serious issue still plagues certain users: a bug prevents them from responding to messages. What’s more frustrating? Android Auto 16.0 appears to introduce no significant changes.

Android Auto 16.0 Launches with Little Excitement as a Major Bug Affects Users

While some updates bring minor revolutions to Android Auto, not every new version makes a splash. Since late December, Android Auto 15.9 has been the version available to the public. The shift to a new major version number, Android 16.0, is expected to happen in the upcoming weeks. However, it seems to offer no significant updates, neither in design nor in upcoming features: according to our colleagues at 9to5Google, for instance, a light mode is absent.

Yet a major malfunction affects certain drivers: it prevents them from responding to messages within Android Auto. Specifically, pressing the Reply button on a notification triggers an error message asking users to “seek permission from their [Google Workspace] administrator.” Apparently, this issue is limited to a certain user profile: those using a Google Workspace account as their primary account – seemingly sparing those with @gmail.com addresses.

Although this bug has been reported since late December, the frequency of user complaints has been increasing. The Mountain View firm is aware of this anomaly, whose origin remains unclear – although server-side issues are suspected. However, no timeline for a potential fix has been provided as of yet.