When I hop into my vehicle, I connect my phone to one of the available USB ports, and Android Auto fires up after a few seconds on the center display. The default screen is perfectly fine, showing Symfonium on the left and a large Waze pane on the right. This is perfectly suited to shorter journeys, but when we have a planned outing that requires covering a considerable distance (yes, even the UK has longer drives), I take a few moments before setting off to configure Android Auto.

Just connecting and setting off can cause issues with the experience not being optimized for the drive. No matter how well optimized the UI is, navigating your Jellyfin server on a narrow display that's inaccurate at best can be a recipe for disaster when you're trying to stay focused on the road ahead. If things aren't optimized from the get-go and your phone is not connected to a power source, Android Auto can (and often will) completely drain it from 100% to zero. That's why I spend a couple of minutes before setting off to get it all just right.

Customize the app launcher

Focus on the important stuff

Before setting off for the first time (be it a new phone or a fresh reset), I'll open Android Auto settings on the phone directly and customize the launcher. I need Waze front and center with Symfonium off to the side as a companion for the long haul. Octopus Energy's Octoverse is also fantastic for ensuring I can quickly navigate to a nearby charger and top up if required. Everything else can and is relegated to the background. If I don't need it for the drive, it won't be on the home screen.

This isn't just a personal preference either. Getting the launcher just right for your precise needs and requirements ensures maximum safety as you'll spend as little time as possible focusing on the screen. Even just glancing at the center console takes concentration away from the road. Think of a CPU busy with a background task, and you ask it to perform something else. It may complete it quickly, but that process will take a quick hit as the processor attempts to juggle commands. The same goes for your brain behind the steering wheel.

I like to have navigation front and center, audio up second, and communication thereafter. Even though I primarily use Waze, I enjoy having Google available just in case anything happens to my go-to sat-nav.

Waze is the best thing since sliced bread

Speed traps, potholes, and smart navigation

I use Waze on every drive. Not because I'm not familiar with local routes and need some form of assistance to get anywhere, but because it's just that good at providing community-provided alerts. Speed traps, potholes, road closures, and other road-related issues can cause headaches. For longer journeys, I ensure Waze is configured and ready to go before I put the vehicle in drive. I'll check route options, add any required stops, and verify the range to reach our destination.

Waze and other satellite navigation tools offer various options to fine-tune the experience, such as avoiding highways, toll roads, congestion zones, and other navigational settings. Google Maps can even estimate battery usage and add charging stops for compatible EVs, which has been invaluable for our road trips. So, it's less about typing in a destination or using hands-free commands as you set off, and more about carefully curating the route to make it as stress-free as possible.

The best part about using Waze is that you're alerted to everything without having to glance at the screen. Alerts are communicated through the speakers, with any music temporarily faded to ensure nothing's missed. I also find the speed limit useful on roads I'm not familiar with to check I'm not speeding, since not all roads in the UK have repeater signs.

Mute as much as possible

Do you really need WhatsApp notifications?

Another thing I always do with Android Auto is mute notifications for pretty much all apps and contacts, aside from my spouse. This keeps group notifications to a minimum. There's nothing worse than WhatsApp going off while you're mid-journey. It's not only distracting, but it can also cause a sudden break in music playback, which is awful when it's one of my favorite tracks. Android offers several ways to achieve this, including Do Not Disturb and notification controls.

Whether you're using Google Messages, WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, or another comms app, it's worth checking how to adjust them while on the move. And don't think for a second that Android Auto reading out your messages while you drive is any better. Taking the time to listen and understand what's being said in a message can be just as distracting. If it's urgent, they'll try to get through multiple times, and everything else can more than likely wait until your next stop.

Fire up the beat

Symfonium is the king of music streaming

I love Symfonium. This is one of my favorite smartphone apps by a clear mile. It's reliable, handles offline playback, can connect to multiple sources simultaneously, and is simply a joy to use. Before setting off, I check which playlist or genre of music I wish to stream from our Jellyfin server and let the app do the rest. This usually means I need to connect my phone to the vehicle to charge it up since streaming through spotty patches and handling navigation via Waze can absolutely decimate battery life.

The Android Auto changes for how apps are displayed on the screen, and allowing for multiple supported apps to be shown simultaneously is fantastic. Symfoniuum and Waze are two perfect examples of useful apps taking front seat on Android Auto, providing a wider view for the sat-nav and a compact glance at what's playing. Playback can be adjusted by my passenger, if not through the steering wheel controls, and it all works together wonderfully to make the most of the available screen real estate.

Making Android Auto yours is easy

Spend some time before setting off to really tailor Android Auto to your needs and requirements. Not everyone is the same, which is why it's great to see some cool customization options and settings available to completely alter how the software runs on your vehicle. It didn't take me long to realize that Android Auto was the vastly superior alternative to the car's own infotainment software. What do you do before a long drive?