Android Auto Lets You Change Your Google Maps Driving Avatar From the Car Display

Google Maps on Android Auto is getting a small but useful customization upgrade. Google is rolling out a new option that lets users change their driving avatar directly from the car's display instead of having to open Google Maps on their phone.

It may not sound like a major change, but it makes Google Maps feel a little more complete as a standalone experience inside the car.

Google Maps Adds Driving Avatar Controls to Android Auto

Google Maps has supported customizable navigation icons for some time. Users can replace the traditional blue navigation arrow with different vehicle-style avatars and colors.

The limitation was that the customization had to be handled from the phone. Google previously brought selected driving avatars to Android Auto and CarPlay, but the actual customization remained tied to the smartphone experience.

Now Google is bringing the picker directly to Android Auto.

When available, a new Driving avatar option appears alongside other Google Maps settings on the car display. Users can tap the option, choose an avatar and select its color without leaving the vehicle interface.

How the New Driving Avatar Setting Works

The process is straightforward. Open Google Maps through Android Auto and check the available settings on the car's display. If the feature has reached your account, a Driving avatar option should appear.

From there, you can select the available vehicle icon and customize its color. The functionality is essentially the same as the customization already available on the phone, but it is now accessible directly from the infotainment screen.

That makes the feature more convenient, particularly for drivers who prefer to keep their navigation controls on the larger car display.

The Update Is Not Available to Everyone Yet

There is one important catch: the feature appears to be rolling out through a server-side update.

9to5Google reports seeing the feature with Android Auto 17.8.163744 and Google Maps 26.38.01.980791571, although the option was not appearing consistently even on those versions.

In other words, updating the apps does not necessarily guarantee immediate access. Google appears to be enabling the feature gradually.

So if you have the latest versions installed but cannot find Driving avatar, there may be nothing wrong with your phone or car. The rollout simply may not have reached your account yet.

A Small Change That Fits Google's Bigger Android Auto Push

The driving avatar itself is hardly a revolutionary navigation feature. What is more interesting is where Google is placing the control.

Google has been making Android Auto and Google Maps more capable on the car display, reducing the need to constantly switch back to the smartphone.

For example, Google is also rolling out speed limits and a live speedometer in Google Maps on Android Auto that can remain visible even when no navigation destination has been selected.

Google has also been redesigning Maps alerts on Android Auto so incident notifications can appear without disrupting as much of the existing navigation interface.

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Should You Update Android Auto and Google Maps?

If you regularly use Android Auto, keeping both Android Auto and Google Maps updated is worthwhile. However, don't expect the new avatar picker to appear immediately after updating.

Since Google appears to be enabling the feature gradually from the server side, availability can vary between users even when they are running the same app versions.

Overall, this is a relatively small Android Auto improvement, but it makes the car display more useful and personalized. Google Maps is slowly gaining more controls directly on the dashboard, and the new driving avatar picker is another step in that direction.