Android Auto and WhatsApp

The Android Auto tool is the definitive solution for those who live glued to their mobile phones, even when they're on the road. With a compatible car it is possible to enjoy the main applications of your Android mobile directly on the dashboard so you don't have to take your eyes off what's really important: the road Of course, if you do not have a compatible car, the tool is still equally effective, but from your own mobile. Everything you need to be guided or even answer WhatsApp messages without taking your hands off the wheel.

But do you know everything you need to know to answer WhatsApp messages while driving? In this article we review all the features and tricks available for WhatsApp in Android Auto. An always safe way to answer messages or keep up to date with what's happening in your WhatsApp chats while you're on the go.

That's right, pay attention to what you're doing while driving. Remember that the priority in all cases is to keep your attention on the road. Do not handle your mobile while driving, and do not take your eyes off the road.

Custom Response

You probably already know this, but you can automatically reply to all contacts who write to you on WhatsApp while using Android Auto to get to a destination. The function is active by default with the text: I'm drivingIn this way, when receiving a message, it appears on the main Android Auto screen accompanied by the option to reply (arrow icon to the left) and the text "I'm driving". If we press it in an instant, the message is sent back as a reply.

What you may not know is that you can customize this response. For example, adding to be contacted later, after a certain time or with any information that is important and that you want to answer.

To do this, enter the Settings menu by displaying the Android Auto main menu from the upper left corner (three stripes icon). Now go down to the messages section and click on Automatic reply. Here you can write the message you want. Of course, the same for all responsesSo think carefully about the text that can best fit you. Once you tap OK, the default response will be the one you typed.

Know what they write to you

But beware, one of the virtues of Android Auto is not to know who is writing to you on WhatsApp, but to listen to a locution of the message The This option comes by default when we receive a message, although to do so we must momentarily take our eyes off the road and one of our hands off the wheel. And it is that you need to click on the listen option that appears on the Android Auto screen during the first seconds of the notification.

After these seconds, the message notification received through WhatsApp is not lost, but is stored on the main screen of Android Auto.Here the option “listen to message” does not appear so visibly. However, you can click on the reproduction triangle that appears to the left of the notification. The Google assistant automatically reads the message aloud so that we don't have to open WhatsApp and read it with our eyes. So the distraction on the road is minimal.

Driving privacy

But it is possible that compromising situations occur while driving if we show all our messages on the dashboard screen or on our mobile with Android Auto. And there are things that copilots should not know about our WhatsApp Whatever they are. Well, there are options to avoid these situations.

Go back to Android Auto Settings from the drop-down menu in the upper right corner. Again in the Messages section you will see the option Always see messagesIf this is active, in addition to the contact that has written to you, the beginning of the message can be read on the screen. This is useful if you want to have a clue of what has been sent to you without being too distracted by reading the content, and seeing if you feel like it or if it is urgent to listen to it and answer it. If you deactivate it, on the other hand, you will only see that you have a pending message from a specific contact. And nothing more. Without hints of the content being given.

In addition, in this same section there is a second function called Show message notifications In this case it is used to make notifications disappear completely of WhatsApp messages on the main screen of Android Auto. In this way you will not be distracted nor will the pending messages be shown at any time, nor who has sent them.

Avoid group distractions

But if there are really annoying notifications, they are those from WhatsApp groups.And it seems that when group conversations are activated there is no way to stop them. Even less when you're behind the wheel. If you don't want any more distractions, Android Auto is capable of detecting when a message comes from a group chat. It does not matter if it is from WhatsApp or from other applications such as Telegram. And, if you want, mutes them.

To do this you have to go back to the Messages section in the Android Auto Settings menu Here you will see that the last option reads Show message notifications of group. It is activated by default, but when we deactivate it, the group notifications from the different messaging applications are ignored on the main Android Auto screen. Of course, they are maintained as soon as we leave this driving application.

Write a new message

But what if we want to write a completely new message? Well, we can do it directly without having to separate our hands from the wheel.Don't even look at the screen. And it is that Android Auto has the integrated Google assistant. Which means we can use the command “Ok Google” at any time to request any order. Among them, send a WhatsApp message.

Just use the command as follows: “OK Google, send (any message) to (anyone) on WhatsApp”In this way, the Google Assistant picks up the order and reads the message aloud, asking us to confirm if we want to send it. If we say “yes” the message is sent. And all this without having to take your eyes off the road.