Android Auto 14.0 Beta brings defrost buttons and Maps alert options

Google recently launched the Android Auto 14.0 beta update, giving testers a sneak peek at what’s coming. While it doesn’t bring big changes you can see right away, the update hints at some handy features being built behind the scenes, like temperature controls and better alert settings.

Back in early March, we spotted clues in Android Auto 13.9—now available to everyone—that pointed to built-in temperature controls. The latest 14.0 beta keeps this going by adding options for front and rear defrost buttons. These aren’t active yet, but the code shows Google is working on it:

<string name=”control_defrost_front”>FRONT</string>

<string name=”control_defrost_rear”>REAR</string>

It’s still unclear how these will fit into the app, but they could make adjusting your car’s climate easier while driving. The update also hints at a new way to manage alerts from Google Maps in Android Auto. Specifically, it looks like you’ll soon be able to turn incident report notifications on or off. New code mentions an “Alerts” section in the settings, with a line saying:

<string name=”NAVIGATION_ALERT_SETTING”>Get alerts for reported incidents and other conditions that may impact your drive</string>

This could be Google’s fix for complaints about annoying pop-up alerts. People didn’t love how these notifications got in the way when they rolled out on Android Auto and CarPlay. A simple on/off switch might give drivers more control.

Android Auto 14.0 should hit the stable version soon—probably in a few weeks—reaching all users. Since there’s nothing major to notice right now, it seems Google is using this update to quietly fix bugs or set up bigger features for later. For now, beta testers get the first look at what’s cooking!