Allow viewing on mobile while connected to android auto
When my phone is connected to Android Auto, viewing the app on the phone is disabled but not all features are enabled on the car display which are often needed. I cannot change my vehicle type (car/motorcycle), I cannot share my ride, if I am not currently navigated I cannot change alert settings.
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FH Ludlow
commented
I just once again tried to use Android Auto after getting a 2024 car. I was amazed to see that you can't use Android Auto for music, and Waze at the same time! I tried several times, and no thanks I'd rather live. I can't believe they deliberately cripple something to knowingly create seriously unsafe conditions. And no, not just set the destination - use the freaking map! be able to zoom etc which is more or less impossible on the car interface. Amazingly frustrating and unsafe. Bye bye AA once again, what a crock. How hard is it to let us have onscreen map on the car, but do all the things that are easy/safe/fast/familiar on the phone? Why is it OK to have fully functional Waze on a phone, but if I want to listen to music from my phone suddenly it's not OK?? I hope Google ends up paying heavily for the danger they are inflicting.
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Tom H commented
Last year's update was unnecessary and locks Waze on your phone to turn by turn instructions, REGARDLESS of whether or not it's the active app on Android Auto.
That just makes no sense and users have so many different use cases.
My mounted phone (legal to have a phone mounted if being used for navigation in my jurisdiction and many others), is in a much safer line of sight than the dash in my car.
Another case of when product designers decide what's best for users instead of listening to feedback.
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Perry
commented
My car stereo is too low to follow the map navigation safely.
The phone displays turn-by-turn navigation.I would like to be able to swap so that my phone displays the map.
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LordGinther
commented
+1 for wanting the map to be able to display on phone even when connected to Android Auto. My phone is higher and in better line of sight with the road than infotainment screen. I also prefer the vertical portrait orientation on the phone vs landscape horizontal on car screen. Really want to be able to use Waze map on phone and Spotify on car screen like I used to.
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Scott Coggeshall commented
I no longer use Android Auto in my truck due to this issue. I have to look down and to the center of the dashboard to see the map. All my other vehicles, which don't have Android Auto, are much easier and safer because the map is in my line of sight on my phone. Also, I wear hearing aids, and my phone is connected to them. I can get my turn by turn directions right in my ear with my phone. Having this automatically connect to android auto takes this function away. Whoever thought this was making it safer is an idiot. I'm still searching for a workaround. Please change this!
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Justin Snapp commented
My Samsung fold is a bigger screen and it gives me more options. It is much safer to have the map and waze on my phone than on my smaller car screen. Also makes switching between android auto apps easier and in some cases not necessary. This is a huge miss and needs to be fixed
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Michelle Fegatelli commented
Agreed. please allow the app to show the map on the phone even when connected to antroid auto.
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Lubomír Švanda commented
Allow Waze to run on the phone screen while Android Auto is active!
Waze used to be perfect on my phone’s display. Since connecting through Android Auto, however, the app is forcibly locked to the car screen and refuses to run on the phone at all. This restriction removes flexibility and creates unnecessary distraction: drivers who want Waze on the phone while using another app (music, messages, or calls) on the car display are denied that choice. Other navigation apps such as Mapy.cz or Sygic allow this, so it is clearly possible without compromising safety.
Please add a setting that lets the user decide where Waze should run — on the phone, on the car display, or on both. Giving drivers this choice would restore Waze’s usefulness and reduce the need for unsafe workarounds.
- Current restrictions paradoxically increase risk, as drivers are forced into awkward workarounds or distracted by switching devices.
- Waze lacks the flexibility offered by competing apps, making it less reliable and less user‑friendly.
- If not addressed, Android Auto combined with Waze becomes a hazard rather than a safety feature, potentially contributing to accidents instead of preventing them. -
roots
commented
Struggling with this issue in the last weeks. It's very annoying. My phone screen much closer to the roader than the navigation.
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Johnathan Tan commented
It's about safety since my phone is in my line of sight while driving
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Jordan Barnes commented
I strongly support maintaining Waze's ability to display the map on mobile devices while connected to Android Auto. This isn't about redundancy - it's about safety and usability.
My setup uses Android Auto for media controls because of its simplified interface, but I rely on my phone's display for navigation. My phone is positioned in a cradle that's directly in my line of sight, requiring minimal eye movement to check. In contrast, glancing down at the Android Auto screen requires me to look much further away from the road, creating a genuine safety hazard.
Different drivers have different setups and sight lines. For many of us, the phone's position is actually the safer option for quick navigation glances. Forcing all navigation to the Android Auto display would make driving less safe, not more. Please preserve this flexibility - it serves real safety needs for drivers who have optimized their phone placement for minimal distraction.
It was working until a few days ago, now I only get turn by turn written instructions if connected to Android Auto, very disappointing.
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Dirk V
commented
It was perfect to have the waze maps on my phone screen whilst connected to Android Auto.
Then a few months ago you couldn't access Waze at all anymore on your phone when your phone (auto) connected to AA.
The workaround for me was starting Waze before AA connected.
Now since 3 days I only get directions, no map anymore.
Why this change??
It's less safe like this and who is reading directions or notifications??
We really need the map back.
For now, I'll need to change to alternative navigation apps (Tom Tom Amigo, Google Maps). -
Simon Aronson commented
The screen in my van is a long way from the driver. It's much more useful to have the map on my phone screen
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Brick House commented
Can't search on route.
Idiots!! -
Michael
commented
When running Android Auto with Waze I cannot open up the Waze application on my phone. It says to go to my Android Auto and use it from there. The problem is if I need to view the route turns or want to just be able to enter the address to where I'm going I'm forced to only use my car display. I don't understand why this was locked....Google Maps and other apps allow you to use both simultaneously as well as CarPlay has this feature available.
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Michael
commented
I am experiencing the same experience as you. I don't understand why it is not allowing to open Waze on the phone while using Android Auto. Google Maps allows you to open while AA is running. This would really help the annoyance of not being able to view the route list (turn by turn) and just having the ability to enter the address on the phone without forcing you to use the car screen to enter an address. This should really be enabled!
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Eric Leung commented
Yes, agreed.
It is important for me to have map displayed on phone screen rather than only AA only. It is not convenient. -
Sukul
commented
We need the ability to access Waze app on the mobile phone when connected to Android Auto. Most of the settings are not available on the AA screen but is only available on the phone and it's of no use when connected.
What's the point of connecting it to the AA screen on our car when we can't access most settings on it and also being blocked on the app? I could just get a phone mount instead.
We'd also love the ability to type the destination via mobile app like Google Maps does. It's easier to type on the phone than the screen and we can also have the passenger type it in for us on the phone rather than the screen for further safety and better time efficiency.
To restrict full access to settings and access to the mobile app is just devious and is a safety hazard.
Google maps allows us to use both the mobile app and the AA screen simultaneously and sends destination to the screen when typed in to the mobile.
Please allow access to the app when connected to Android Auto
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Jason Carson
commented
When I connected to Android Auto the map is shown on my car screen.
But my phone screen is black telling me to see the car screen. It doesn't show a map or turn by turn directions
How do I get it to show turn by turn in my phone while showing the map in my car screen.
2019 Volkswagen Golf
Pixel 8 Pro XL -
Nikers
commented
A workaround was available in the previous version: Don't have Waze enabled on the Android Auto screen before connecting the smartphone, and if necessary, force-stop the app in the smartphone's app settings and then restart it.
Following the addition of a new feature, the smartphone now displays route directions.
However, with Android Auto, even when Waze isn't in use on the vehicle's screen, the smartphone continues to display only the route indications (unlike Apple CarPlay). A new idea suggests that this should only be displayed when the app is active on Android Auto. Please, vote for this one : https://waze.uservoice.com/forums/59223-waze-suggestion-box/suggestions/50096700-use-waze-on-phone-while-android-auto-is-connected