Google Assistant has spent years being one of Android Auto’s most complained-about features. Drivers have criticized its missed commands, inconsistent responses, and occasional inability to perform basic hands-free tasks, yet its impending retirement has produced an unexpected reaction: some users suddenly want it to stay.
Google is replacing Assistant with Gemini across its mobile ecosystem, with the first users reportedly losing access to the older assistant from September 4. Since Android Auto relies on a connected smartphone for voice assistance, the change means Google Assistant is also heading out of many cars.
Gemini is supposed to represent a major upgrade, bringing more natural conversations, smarter responses, and the ability to understand complicated requests. Those capabilities sound impressive, especially for an in-car system where voice interaction can reduce the need to touch a screen.
Unfortunately, some Android Auto users say Gemini still struggles with the simple commands that matter most while driving. The internet is filled with reports of problems making calls, sending messages, and performing other routine actions, which have made the previously unpopular Google Assistant look surprisingly dependable by comparison.
Google Assistant Is Heading For Retirement
Google has been gradually moving Android users toward Gemini, and the transition is now reaching its final stages. Once Assistant disappears from supported smartphones, Android Auto users will increasingly have Gemini as their primary option for voice commands.
For drivers, reliability is arguably more important than advanced AI capabilities. Asking a car to call a contact, navigate home, or send a short message should produce an immediate result without requiring additional prompts or interaction with the phone.
Gemini Is Struggling With Basic Commands
That appears to be where some users are encountering trouble. Complaints shared on Reddit and Google’s forums describe Gemini failing to complete everyday Android Auto actions that Google Assistant previously handled with fewer problems.
One particularly amusing example came from a Redditor who asked Gemini to call his father. Rather than placing the call, Gemini provided a definition of the word “father,” convincing the user to switch straight back to Google Assistant.
Others have reported issues making calls while their phones are locked or folded shut. In some cases, Gemini reportedly recognizes the requested contact and displays the correct phone number but refuses to complete the call until the smartphone is unlocked.
Suddenly, Google Assistant Doesn’t Look So Bad
Google Assistant certainly wasn’t flawless. Years of Android Auto updates produced plenty of complaints about broken commands, unreliable voice recognition, and features that seemingly stopped working without warning.
Gemini’s arrival has changed the comparison, however. Assistant had years of development behind the everyday functions drivers actually use, while Gemini’s more sophisticated AI capabilities don’t count for much if calling someone or starting navigation becomes less reliable.
Gemini Still Has Plenty Of Potential
Google’s decision to replace Assistant makes sense given the company’s push toward Gemini, and the newer system could eventually become a significantly better in-car companion. Natural conversations and contextual follow-up questions have obvious potential in a vehicle, particularly when they reduce interaction with infotainment screens.
The immediate challenge is making those features work alongside dependable basic controls. Google Assistant may have spent years frustrating Android Auto users, yet with its retirement approaching, Gemini has somehow managed to make some drivers realize how much they’re going to miss it.