Android Driving Mode, facilitated by Google Assistant, is designed to enhance driving safety and convenience by providing voice-forward, glanceable interfaces. While it aims to minimize distractions, there are situations where you might prefer to disable it. This guide provides a clear walkthrough on how to disable driving mode on your Android device, ensuring you have full control over your driving experience.
Driving mode typically activates automatically when you initiate navigation in Google Maps. For users who prefer a different in-car interface or wish to manage media and apps without the driving mode restrictions, disabling this feature is straightforward. Here’s how to turn off Android Driving Mode:
- Access Google Maps Settings: Begin by opening the Google Maps application on your Android device.
- Navigate to Navigation Settings: In Google Maps, tap on your profile icon, usually located in the top right corner, to open the settings menu. From there, select ‘Navigation settings’.
- Find Google Assistant settings: Scroll down within the Navigation settings menu until you find and tap on ‘Google Assistant settings’.
- Manage Driving Mode: Under Google Assistant settings, you will see an option labeled ‘Manage Driving Mode’. Tap on this to proceed.
- Disable Driving Mode: Finally, you will find the ‘Driving Mode’ setting. Toggle this switch to the off position. This action will disable driving mode on your Android device.
By following these steps, you can easily disable Android Driving Mode. It’s important to note that while driving mode is disabled, certain features optimized for driving, like the streamlined interface and voice command prioritisation, will also be deactivated.
For developers creating media applications, understanding how driving mode interacts with apps is crucial, even if users choose to disable the feature. Driving mode influences how media playback controls are displayed and how media recommendations are presented to the user.
Each media app determines its on-screen transport controls by connecting its MediaSession to TransportControls. Typically, for a music player, these controls include play, pause, skip, and previous track options.
Beyond basic controls, other supported actions are generally invoked through voice commands, maintaining a hands-free interaction.
Driving mode also curates media recommendations in two primary locations: the “For you” page and the app’s browse page. These interfaces are designed to be simple and glanceable, prioritizing ease of use while driving.
To provide these recommendations, Android Assistant uses MediaBrowserService.onGetRoot() with the EXTRA_SUGGESTED hint. Media apps should respond by returning a flat list of playable MediaItem objects. For optimal presentation, especially on the “For you” screen, providing at least 15 items is recommended, and each MediaItem should include media art. Specifying the CONTENT_TYPE within the MediaDescription bundle of each MediaItem further refines content ranking and relevance.
In conclusion, disabling Android Driving Mode is a straightforward process achievable through Google Maps settings. While designed to enhance safety, users have the flexibility to turn it off based on their preferences. For app developers, understanding driving mode’s functionalities remains important for creating compatible and user-friendly media experiences, regardless of whether driving mode is enabled or disabled by the user.
