Android Auto just made switching media apps way less annoying

Source: Android Authority

TL;DR

• Android Auto is rolling out support for multiple swipeable media cards on the dashboard.
• The feature is live in the latest Android Auto beta (version 17.0.162144‑release.daily).
• Users can cycle between active audio apps without reopening each one.

New multi‑card media interface

Google is introducing a quality‑of‑life update to Android Auto that adds multiple swipeable media cards to the dashboard. The rollout follows an APK teardown we published in October, when we first discovered the new multi‑card media interface.

The feature is currently available in the Android Auto beta. It lets users swipe between active media apps directly from the dashboard UI. While we haven’t seen it on the stable channel yet, its presence in beta suggests broader availability will follow soon.

How it works

Previously, Android Auto displayed only one active media card at a time. Switching from Spotify to YouTube Music replaced the Spotify card with the YouTube Music card, and returning to Spotify required reopening the app.

With the new interface, Android Auto retains multiple recent media sessions as separate cards. Users can now swipe through cards for apps such as Spotify, YouTube Music, Pocket Casts, Audible, and others, making it easier to jump between them without extra steps.