Google Might Have Finally Fixed Android Auto's Worst Connection Issue

Problems with Android Auto, particularly with device connections, are fairly common. While some of these problems are a result of using the wrong USB cable for Android Auto, others, like the Android Auto connection issues plaguing Samsung Galaxy S26 series and Google Pixel devices, can be blamed on Google's software. Although Google released a fix for some of these device connection problems in April of this year as part of the Play Services version v26.15, it seems that didn't do the trick. The company has now rolled out even more bug fixes for device connection problems in Google Play Services v26.22.

The official changelog for the Play Services version v26.22 doesn't go into detail on exactly what has been fixed. It also doesn't indicate whether the update targets the issues that caused the March problems for Google and Samsung devices or a bigger underlying bug. It simply states: '[Auto] Bug fixes for Device Connections related services'.

The updated version of the Google Play Services with the Android Auto bug fixes is likely already on your Android phone, as it started rolling out on June 8, and the company has since released another version in the form of version 26.23. To confirm you're indeed running version 26.22 or newer, open the Settings app on your phone and navigate to Google > All services > System Services. You will see which of the system services are running on the latest version, including Google Play Services, and which have any available updates. If Google Play Services has an update pending, you can trigger it by tapping on the service name and hitting the 'Update' button.

Besides bug fixes for the device connection issues, the Google Play Services version 26.22 doesn't include any other changes related to Android Auto. However, the newer 26.23 version, which, as mentioned, is also already rolling out, brings device performance improvements and bug fixes for system management and diagnostics-related services. 

Outside of the connection problems, 2026 is turning out to be a pretty good year for Android Auto. It received a major update that changes how you use the dashboard, alongside support for Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader. Additionally, Google has revealed four features that are coming to Android Auto this year, including wider widget support.