You envy the on-board navigation systems of recent vehicles, but your vehicle is not equipped? If you have an Android smartphone, you can enjoy an experience very similar to that offered by Android Auto by activating Car Mode directly from the Google Maps application.

Thanks to it, you can control your smartphone by voice using the Google Assistant and enjoy a simplified navigation interface to navigate certain menus, access your latest messages, or explore the content of your music or podcast streaming applications. Here’s how to activate it.

1. Open the Google Maps settings.

Start by opening the application google maps on your Android smartphone. Then tap on your avatar at the top right and enter the configurations of the application.

2. Activate driving mode

Then scroll through the options displayed and then go to the menu dedicated to Navigation settings. Enter the menu Google Assistant Settings and make sure the Auto Mode option is turned on.

3. Enter navigation mode

Then return to the main page of Google Maps, search for a destination and start navigation by pressing Start.

If everything went according to plan, you should see the Google Assistant microphone appear in the lower left, as well as a menu on the right that allows you to see accessible and usable apps while navigating with Google Maps.

You’ll be able to use the Google Assistant to start a piece of music in your favorite streaming app (eg “Play Foo Fighters” or “Play Nine Inch Nails on Deezer), make or answer a call (person’s name calls will be announced automatically by the Google Assistant), or view recent messages.

Google Maps car mode also makes it easy to navigate your apps from a simplified interface. For example, you can quickly view Deezer, Spotify, or YouTube Music playlists, or select a podcast to listen to in its dedicated app.