Google Maps gets EV-friendly updates, Android Quick Settings overhaul, and new Tensor chip plans for Pixel Watch

Google and Ford are collaborating to make Android Auto more EV-friendly, specifically for Ford’s electric vehicles (EVs). A series of new updates brings features like estimated battery levels, charging station navigation, and better integration with Ford’s Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning.

One of the key updates includes showing the battery level upon arrival at a destination directly in Google Maps, allowing drivers to plan trips more effectively. This feature has been available on Android Automotive systems and is now integrated with Android Auto, allowing users to see estimated battery status for every stop on a planned route.

Another useful addition to Android Auto is the display of charging stations compatible with North American Charging Standard (NACS) connectors, which include Tesla Superchargers. This update is available with the latest Android Auto version, 12.9, enabling more charging options for Ford EV users equipped with NACS ports.

Additionally, Ford EVs can now precondition their batteries en route to a charging station, ensuring efficient and faster charging upon arrival. Ford owners should update their vehicle software to access these improvements fully.

Other helpful tools include showing nearby amenities at charging locations and offering minimum recommended charge levels for various destinations, making long-distance planning more efficient.

Meanwhile, Android’s Quick Settings in the upcoming Android 16 could be seeing an overhaul, allowing users to resize tiles for a customized layout. This feature, which has been hinted at in recent Android betas, will offer options to adjust tile sizes in 1×1 and 1×2 formats, enhancing layout options for different user needs. The change might eventually separate Quick Settings from the notification tray, following a trend seen with other manufacturers like OnePlus and Samsung, who are expected to introduce similar customizations.

Additionally, a recent leak hints that Google is developing a custom Tensor chip for its Pixel Watch, potentially launching within the next few years. This shift could bring advanced features and longer battery life to future Pixel Watches, following Google’s trend of integrating Tensor chips in Pixel smartphones.

The proposed design includes a mix of Arm Cortex-A78 and Cortex-A55 cores, possibly built on TSMC’s 3nm process. While the design uses some older cores, the manufacturing process could still give it an edge over Qualcomm’s Snapdragon W5+ in terms of power efficiency and performance.

These updates reflect Google’s ongoing push to create a more connected and seamless experience across Android Auto, smartphones, and wearables, showing significant strides in software and hardware innovation.