Google will redesign Android Auto

Google is preparing a visual update to Android Auto, replacing the flat progress bar in music players with a Material 3 Expressive-style wave-shaped one. The code for the new feature has been discovered in the latest build of Android Auto, but it hasn’t been activated yet. Once launched, media apps will get a design similar to the interface of Pixel smartphones.

The new feature will be available in Android Auto’s latest build, but not yet activated.

According to Android Authority, instead of the current flat line, the progress bar will take on a noticeable wave shape. The design will become more animated and playful compared to the minimalistic look of the current Android Auto.

The wavy progress bar looks like a cosmetic change at first glance, but it fits into Google’s overall strategy to modernize Android Auto and bring the interface in line with Android’s design on smartphones.

The new bar looks thicker and more visible, which could make it easier to rewind a song or podcast, especially when your hand isn’t perfectly steady in a moving car. Less precision required means less time spent staring at the screen while driving.