Whats happened? Google is preparing several updates for its in-car smartphone projection system Android Auto and they could arrive soon.

Folks at Android Authority have discovered a new Gemini shortcuts feature in the teardown of Android Autos latest beta (version 15.6.154404-release.daily). The feature could replace the Google Assistant Actions by allowing users to execute multi-step commands with a tap on the infotainment screen. Meanwhile, the publication has also uncovered references to a feature codenamed Earth, which will allow users to add widgets from their Android smartphones to their Android Auto home screen (version 5.6.154404-release.daily).

Why is this important? Both features aim to improve your Android Auto experience by saving time on multi-step tasks and by providing the most important information directly on the dashboard without picking up your smartphone.

Google has already replaced Google Assistant with Gemini on the latest Android phones, and introducing Gemini Actions will bring the same experience to Android Auto. As for widgets, theyre already hugely popular among Android users, and it likely wont take long before people start using them on Android Auto as well.

Why should I care? With the Gemini actions feature, you can create shortcuts for everyday tasks. For instance, youd be able to program a button that searches for nearby gas stations and navigates you there via Google Maps. Otherwise, thats a four-step task that involves opening Google Maps, typing gas station into the search field, selecting the nearest one, and loading the route, which could easily take 30 seconds to a minute. Similarly, home screen widgets will let you access information from your favorite apps, such as the Calendar or Weather, at a glance. At the moment, the widget support seems limited, indicating that the feature is in early stages of development.