Android Auto may soon let you choose a new paint job — for your Maps avatar

Source: Android Authority

TL;DR

• Google Maps lets users choose custom vehicle avatars, including type and color.
• So far, you’ve had to make these selections in Maps on your phone.
• Android Auto is working on its own built‑in screen for selecting avatars, right from your car.

Custom vehicle avatars in Google Maps

When you’re driving with Google Maps and Android Auto, the familiar blue on‑screen arrow guides you to your destination. Google Maps also offers a variety of custom vehicle icons, letting you pick an avatar that matches your car or truck’s style and color.

Even as some Android Auto users encounter vanishing icons, a potential upgrade could give you more control directly from the vehicle.

Current workflow

At present, you can see your custom avatar while using Maps in Android Auto, but there’s no native way to change it from the dash. To switch avatars, you must open Maps on your phone, select the desired vehicle and color, and then return to Android Auto.

Upcoming Android Auto integration

With Google’s Android Auto 16.2.660604‑release edition, a new “Driving avatar” option appears in the navigation settings. Tapping it reveals the same vehicle‑selection interface (including color choices) that’s available on phones.

These screens are not yet user‑facing in the release, but the implementation looks polished and fits seamlessly with Maps navigation.

Sync behavior

Testing shows the avatar setting syncs with your Google account:

• Changing the vehicle avatar in Android Auto updates the avatar on your phone.
• Changing it on the phone updates the avatar in Android Auto.

This means you can continue using the existing method if you prefer, while also gaining the ability to adjust the avatar directly from your vehicle once the feature rolls out.

Why it matters

Most users probably won’t need to change their avatar frequently, but the option adds a fun personalization layer. You might choose an aspirational vehicle icon rather than one that matches your actual car—this new capability makes that possible.

⚠️ An APK teardown can predict future features based on work‑in‑progress code, but predicted features may not reach a public release.