Android for cars gets Chrome browser, real-time battery info, trip planning on your phone

Today at CES Google unveiled some new features coming to Android Auto and cars with Google built-in. First off, EVs compatible with Android Auto, starting with the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Ford F-150 Lightning, can share real-time battery information with Google Maps.

This will allow Google Maps to show your estimated battery level on arrival at your destination, suggest charging stops along the way, and estimate how long charging will take - all of these personalized to your vehicle of course.

Cars with Google built-in are getting a new Google Maps feature too - planning a trip in the Google Maps app for iOS or Android, and then sending it directly to the car. This, to us, sounds like one of those "how wasn't this already a feature?" deals, but, as they say, better late than never. It just feels so obvious, and useful.

The Chrome browser is rolling out starting today to select Polestar and Volvo cars in beta, and will be available in more cars later this year. In fact, Polestar has also officially confirmed that the sending of planned routes from your phone to your car is now rolling out to the Polestar 2, as is the Chrome browser. That said, it's important to remember that the Polestar 2 has had a built-in browser - Vivaldi - since 2021. More options are always better, though.

Moving on, shows from PBS Kids and Crunchyroll are now available "in select cars with Google built-in", to entertain the little ones, as is The Weather Channel app, making its debut "by popular demand", according to Google.

New models with Google built-in are rolling out this year from Nissan, Ford, and Lincoln, with Porsche expected to join at some later point. Digital car key support is rolling out soon to "select Volvo cars", and even more brands in the future.

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