Android Auto with Gemini needs a 5-minute privacy check before anyone rides shotgun

Android Auto with Gemini now requires a 5-minute privacy check before anyone rides shotgun. The assistant can now access Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Photos, Maps, YouTube, and Search with permission. This feature brings convenience for solo drivers, like pulling flight information from emails or navigating to appointments from calendars. However, for passengers, this could be a concern, as the assistant might be listening to everyone in the car, including unintentional commands.

Personal Intelligence, the underlying technology, is only available for personal Google accounts of users 18 and older. Workspace, enterprise, and education accounts cannot use it, nor is it available in the European Economic Area, Switzerland, the UK, or Nigeria. Android Auto users with Google built-in are able to access it now, while cars with Google built-in will receive it in the coming months.

To turn off Personal Intelligence entirely, access it through the Gemini app's settings. However, this won't disable all features, as navigation, music, and general questions will still function normally. If turning it off completely seems excessive, individual services can be selected via the Connected Apps menu within the Gemini settings.

While leaving Google Maps and YouTube enabled could be beneficial for route planning and personalized music, Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar, Google Keep, and Google Tasks should be disabled for privacy. The risk is highest with the Gmail and Google Drive connection, as an email or document could contain sensitive personal information.

To further enhance privacy, train your voice model to recognize your voice better. This can help prevent accidental activations by passengers. Additionally, consider disabling message notifications on Android Auto to prevent texts from being displayed or announced aloud in the car.