The promise of Gemini for Android Auto is huge, as the AI assistant is theoretically more capable than Assistant was. But, as it’s now becoming the only option, a weird issue is leaving Gemini for Android Auto perhaps less than useless, as it just gives up on answers from drivers.
To say Gemini’s launch on Android Auto has been riddled with issues is a bit of an understatement. For months users have reported problems with various commands and just overlooked bits of functionality. I’m personally still waiting on Google to fix the issue where Gemini just keeps on talking or waiting for a response after I’ve completed a task via the touchscreen instead.
A new issue popped up this week, though, that’s not only frustrating, but just a waste of time.
Users report that Gemini for Android Auto is hearing commands, processing them, and then just giving up entirely on the answer. A Reddit user shared a video of this and several others chimed in with the same problem, and it’s one I’ve also personally encountered just this week.
I have a 2025 Vauxhall Corsa Electric and a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
The first time I trigger Gemini, it always tells me there is a connection issue. However, every single time I cancel that and try a second time within even a second, it works perfectly. Annoying glitch.
The issue doesn’t seem to have anything to do with signal strength or the question being asked. Gemini just sits there thinking for a few moments before giving up.
The video above demonstrates the issue when paired to a Pixel phone, but users report the same issue when paired to Samsung and Motorola devices too; I’ve noticed it with my Galaxy Z Fold 8. Google has, so far, not acknowledged the problem as far as we’ve been able to find.
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