Android Auto is Google’s answer to smarter, safer road use. It provides all the convenience of your essential apps with fewer distractions on the move, is easy to set up and use, and, overall, does a pretty great job. One thing that immediately struck me, however, is that it is little more than a mirror of my phone’s interface, shoehorned into my car’s display, rather than a bespoke software solution designed specifically to meet the demands of use on the road.
AutoZen, on the other hand, has a fundamentally different approach. Rather than extending the smartphone into the vehicle, it is explicitly designed as an Android-only phone or head unit app that focuses on the mental, emotional, and situational realities of driving. This is an important distinction to make, as it isn’t the most accomplished car dashboard, nor does it claim to be. Instead, AutoZen aims to be the most distraction-free driving assistant, highlighting some essential features that Google’s ubiquitous assistant missed.
- OS
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Android
- Price model
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Free/Subscription
- Subscription Price
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$17
Autozen is an Android-only driving assistant app that focuses on improved driver awareness and fewer distractions.
A solution that puts the driver first
AutoZen is car-native, while Android Auto is phone-native
Android Auto is fundamentally a projection of your phone’s maps, messages, music, and notifications onto the in-car display, with simplified controls for use on the move. This is both familiar and convenient; however, after a while, some minor irritations set in. As an extension of my phone, alerts constantly pinged in my ears, information was often distracting, and I still found myself managing apps, albeit with larger buttons.
AutoZen was designed from the ground up as a car-native system for phones, and it shows. It rightly assumes that a driver should prioritize driving over interacting, so it minimizes distractions. To facilitate this, it offers voice control, hand gestures, and smart notifications as alternatives. Rather than replicating a smartphone interface, it feels purpose built to suit the driving experience.
A driving assistant with fewer distractions
AutoZen reduces mental effort while Android Auto redirects it
Android Auto does reduce distraction to a degree with its slightly more car-savvy interface, but for the most part, it requires the same amount of mental effort. Notifications are read aloud, messages prompt replies, and navigation often asks for confirmation. Sure, most interactions are hands-free, but it still requires significant driver engagement.
AutoZen, as the name suggests, is calmer and more restrained. It aggressively filters options, leaving out any non-essential interactions that often occur while driving. Voice prompts appear to be shorter and less frequent, which makes a refreshing change when driving in heavy traffic, rather than an app that barks distracting information and route options at you. This supportive, rather than demanding, approach reduces stress, a proven cause of fatigue and driver error that accumulates over time.
Adaptability that improves safety
AutoZen recognizes driving as a mental state that requires focus
Android Auto does what it does well. My music plays, my maps navigate, and my messages arrive. Each function performs as it should independently of the other. What it doesn’t do, however, is adopt a driver-first approach to controls and notifications.
AutoZen appears to focus more on keeping a driver’s mental state sharp, with features like its Bluetooth-enabled Do Not Disturb mode, enhanced voice commands, and hands-free control of music, navigation, and notifications. These make AutoZen feel like a situationally aware app launcher and navigation aid, rather than a functionally busy one.
Is all this absolutely necessary?
Android Auto is a trusted platform, and its strengths lie elsewhere
Android Auto fans may argue that its app-centric architecture is precisely the point. It has impressive flexibility, allowing drivers to choose their preferred apps for navigation, music streaming, and messaging. Automakers benefit from a shared platform with tried-and-true functionality that’s compatible with the majority of global mobile users. There is also the benefit of familiarity, which is significant, as features are precisely where they are expected to be, and settings are easily transferable.
However, I would counter that flexibility can be a liability in a car, as every additional option introduces decision-making and distraction. AutoZen’s constraints are intentional, and by narrowing choices, it reduces stress and driver error. I’d rather play around on my phone when I take public transport and focus on the task at hand while behind the wheel.
How AutoZen measures up against the biggest driving assistants
In practical testing, I was impressed with AutoZen’s hands-free approach to in-car navigation and entertainment. Instead of extending the smartphone into the car, AutoZen offers an alternative that improves driver attention while prioritizing reduced stress and risk.
While Android Auto is at once powerful, familiar, and flexible, these are qualities inherited from phones. Communication and navigation are a completely different ballgame when operating a vehicle, and AutoZen’s focus on driver awareness makes for a refreshing alternative.
Having used AutoZen, I have come to realize that a driving assistant should be less about app mirroring and more considerate of the driving experience. I wonder how long it will take Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to catch on?
