TL;DR
- Gemini on Android Auto is frustrating users with long, conversational responses instead of quick actions.
- Many users are reporting that it is also glitchy, sometimes failing even basic functions like navigation, calls and music playback.
- Users are going back to Google Assistant, although you can reduce Gemini’s verbosity by asking it to be more concise.
Google’s effort to bring Android Auto to Gemini was aimed at making driving smarter. But now that it’s spreading more widely, users are finding that it’s a lot more talk than actual help.
across multiple threads on redditAndroid Auto users are complaining about Geminis being overly verbose, slow and, at times, downright inaccurate.
How is your experience with Gemini on Android Auto?
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Instead of immediately completing simple commands like playing music or sending a message, Gemini on Android Auto often goes into long-winded explanations, and then doesn’t even complete the task.
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Users describe situations in which Gemini mishears a request and then responds with a long explanatory speech. It also provides unrelated information and constantly asks follow-up questions. Not only are users finding it distracting while driving, but many say that by the time Gemini finishes responding, they’ve even forgotten what they asked in the first place.
A user who wanted to play some music was on the receiving end of Gemini’s not-so-long lecture. Describing his experience he said, “As long as it was giving me this lecture, I was unable to say anything to it. After it finished it told me again what I wanted. And then nothing happened. No music.”
Users are also unhappy with the Gemini’s reactions while driving.
Another user pointed out, “After I complained about its one and only female singing obnoxiously in an American accent, and then complained about her inability to perform the most basic tasks like open Spotify, I decided to go on a similar monologue. It then turned sarcastic and then randomly talked about a concert I have scheduled on my calendar for this weekend.”
And it is not just that there is too much talking.
Users are also unhappy with the Gemini’s reactions while driving. In a recent case, a user asked Gemini for directions to a Tim Hortons location. Instead of helping, Gemini struggled to provide routes and then incorrectly told the user that they were somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean.
Other users also report similar strange behavior, like incorrect navigation details, trouble recognizing contacts and making calls, and problems understanding basic commands like playing music.
That said, Gemini exudes utility. Some users say it’s better than the old Google Assistant at handling more conversational questions, like recommending places on a route. However, many users find that it complicates everyday tasks on Android Auto.
Is there any solution?
Many users who found Gemini in Android Auto are going back to the simpler, faster Google Assistant. But if you’re tired of the Gemini’s in-car monologue, there’s a solution that doesn’t require you to switch.
Users say you can ask Gemini to be more concise in its responses. There is no setting for this; You can simply ask the Gemini to give you more organized responses, and over time, it will get better.
If you’re more bothered by Gemini’s incorrect responses, you can switch back to Google Assistant Android Auto on your phone Settings > Manage your digital assistant > Digital assistants from Google > Google Assistant.
Just keep in mind that this change applies not just to Android Auto, but to your device and apps as well.
It’s also worth noting that Gemini is just now becoming widely available to Android Auto users, so Google will likely fix these shortcomings with a future update. Similar issues surfaced when Gemini first started rolling out to Google Home users, but the company has made several usability improvements over the past few months to improve the experience.
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