What it’s good to know
- Assistant Driving Mode in Google Maps is formally gone for good, the corporate has confirmed.
- Assistant Driving Mode is one other characteristic casualty of the Gemini transition, which is presently underway.
- The characteristic misplaced most of its performance in February 2024, and solely a media management bar and voice assistant button remained up till lately.
Google is formally eradicating Assistant Driving Mode from Android as a part of the Gemini transition. The characteristic has undergone quite a few modifications since its introduction in 2019, most lately shedding the app dashboard that was a vital a part of the Driving Mode expertise. Now, it is now not accessible as a part of the Google Maps app for Android, the corporate instructed 9to5Google.
As of February 2024, the app launcher that featured massive, easy-to-touch icons whereas driving was eliminated. The newest model of Assistant Driving Mode solely supplied a media playback bar and the a management button. It was principally utilized by Android customers that did not have a automotive with Android Auto performance, since Driving Mode supplied related utility at one level.
In reality, Assistant Driving Mode was initially seen as a alternative and different to Android Auto for Cellphone Screens, was killed in 2021.
The Assistant Driving Mode app launcher was one among many Google Assistant characteristic removals introduced in January 2024. “Utilizing app launcher in Google Assistant driving mode on Google Maps to learn and ship messages, make calls, and management media,” the corporate defined in a assist doc on the time. “You may nonetheless use voice management on Google Maps the identical method.”
Over a yr later, not even the Assistant Driving Mode’s playback controls or voice management button can be found as a part of Google Maps. That is an intentional removing that’s a part of the Gemini transition, per the corporate. At this level, it means Assistant Driving Mode in Maps is gone for good.
The transfer is a component of a bigger transition from Google Assistant to Gemini that was introduced formally in March 2025. It is presently underway, and can see most cellular gadgets ditch Assistant in favor of Gemini within the close to future.
