- Google has pushed the Android Auto beta 15.5 to some devices
- Those running Android 8 will soon not be supported
- Older devices could soon find Android Auto stops working
Google is getting ready to push some big updates for its Android Auto system, with the beta for the latest 15.5 software already being rolled out to early testers.
However, the minimum system requirements are changing and the tech giant announced back in summer of last year that users will need Android 9 or later to run Android Auto in the car, both wired and wirelessly.
According to Auto Evolution, Google continued to support Android 8 users with updates but that is about to change, as the latest 15.5 version of the software is introduced. For Android 8 users, this means that devices won’t receive any new Android Auto updates. New features, bug fixes or design changes won’t be applicable.
What’s more, it is highly likely that Google will drop support for Android 8 users altogether, with some predicting this will happen by the summer of 2026.
This move is unlikely to hit many users, as the latest Android figures show only 4% were running Android 8 or Android 8.1 as of April 2025. But if you want the latest Android Auto OS features, it’s worth checking in case you need to update your software (or device).
Gearing up for the AI age
Both Google and Apple are busy injecting more AI-enabled features into their smartphone mirroring services, with the former readying the launch of Gemini for drivers.
The company says the AI-powered assistant will replace the current generation of Google Assistant, allowing users to access deeper integration with apps, calendars and messages without taking eyes off the road.
Put simply, older devices running Android 8 won’t be able to support these sorts of AI-based technological advances, seeing as the operating system was first launched way back in 2017 when this sort of thing was a mere footnote.
For those not wanting to invest in a new Android smartphone, it will be possible to stick with Android 8 until it stops working completely. Updates won’t apply, but it should still be possible to keep using current features until Google drops support entirely.
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