Android Auto app widgets mirror mobile setup, leak shows as release nears

A leaked Android Auto 16.8.161804-release.daily build reveals a new “car widgets” menu, renamed from the earlier “Earth” codename.

The UI includes a search bar plus Featured and Browse sections, closely resembling Android’s phone home-screen widget picker.

If released, car widgets could make the dashboard more customizable and add more phone-like functionality to cars.

The leak suggests Google is expanding Android Auto ahead of events like Google I/O, with possible ties to Gemini and other Google apps.