Name: AutoMate - Car Dashboard
Rating: 3.85 (907 reviews)

Derrick Bailey

4 years ago

Needs better integration with waze and Google maps. Seems like even if you check the box to use waze the automate driving app stays default if you touch the navigation button. That button should automatically open waze but Doesn't. Same thing for weather. I use a different app for weather but you can't set it as my default weather app. These things should be fixed in future updates.

Richard Anderson

4 years ago

Some of the limitations of this app seem to be with how Google manages Android apps. It would be great if this could correctly control the default launcher when in car mode but all driving apps have this issue (except googles own Android auto which the app version doesn't support as many navigation apps.) There is still a long way to go too make this better, but it still is one of the best car dashboard apps available.

Joel Garcia

3 years ago

Great concept. Visuals are great and intuitive. Very bold set of features and options. The Android Auto and Google Assistant (Driving Mode) killer... ...IF IT WORKED! 1. The free version is good and solid, no glitches on the stripped and basic interface, so I PAID 3.99+tax for the premium features. I was robbed of my $ 2. Last update was released February 2021? Seriously? 3. Premium features do not work or freeze or force quit. Android 12. Note 20 Ultra 5g. 4. Come on guys. FIX OR REFUND!

Gary Cifers

3 years ago

I want to like this app but it's currently a buggy mess in Android 12. Navigation crashes constantly, audio controls (i.e Spotify, etc) aren't functioning properly, if you set a preferred orientation your phone will lock that orientation even after closing the app, the app won't actually close when you select exit... I'm holding out hope that it gets updated soon but that's even thin since it was last updated Feb 2021 and there is no sign of life on their website either

Nat Stahl

3 years ago

Interface and behavior are really good, however, while it reads incoming texts (you have to tap the message unless you use auto-read, it doesn't ask you), if you try to reply, it loads the voice command tool and records your message, but there's no way to send! Voice command seems wonky in general, I can't get it to play something different on spotify with voice.

A Google user

5 years ago

So far so good.. I love how it automatically starts up as soon it detects my cars bluetooth, even though the phone was locked. It even closes up, once my phone disconnects the car. I haven't purchased the additional features yet. If I were it would only be the one for start up. Turning the phone's speaker volume up would be great...

A Google user

6 years ago

I 💗 AutoMate without a doubt. I reset my phone to defaults and kept noticing something was missing or, rather felt very difficult everytime I was driving and using Google Maps. It took me 3 weeks without AutoMate and struggling to play my music…swap to messages...voice reply…swap back to Maps…it was difficult and dangerous even using my voice. that I had this AWESOME app before the reset.

Tom McGrew

4 years ago

Decent app but has the annoying tendency to lower the bluetooth volume by about 50% on any of my music apps when I access them through the launcher. Almost like a notification is coming through but the volume never returns to normal until both apps are closed and reopened. Fix this and I may actually pony up for the premium version. Update: No change. I upgraded my phone to the Pixel 4a and installed AutoMate to see how it would run on the latest Android and it's actually worse. The app runs in the background constantly now sucking up battery. And features that were previously available for free are now part of premium (that should NEVER happen unless those feature were greatly reworked and improved). Changing my rating to 1 star. Time to find another car dock app.

A Google user

6 years ago

I downloaded this as an alternative to Android Auto which I dislike, and to compare against DriveMode which was my favorite to-date, albeit, with some drawbacks. First off,I really like the design and layout of AutoMate. It's simple, clean, and intuitive. I don't care for it's integrated navigation feature however. I didn't use it much, but see countless negative reviews describing how buggy it is. The main reason for the 2-star rating however was because this app doesn't integrate with the Verizon Messaging app for SMS/MMS. I tried every setting possible in Automate and in Verizon messaging, and it simply wouldn't give any notification of incoming texts, much less the option to respond hands-free. I disabled Verizon Messaging and tried the LG Messaging app that also came on my LG G6. That allowed notifications and hands-free responding, but I DISlike the LG app because of it's extremely bare bones interface and lack of customizable options. Either choose LG's app, or choose DriveMode. I'll choose DriveMode, even though I don't care for the interface much. Oh well...

A Google user

6 years ago

So far this is the best non-Android Auto launcher i've found. I am disappointed because I bought this app and it won't let me restore my purchases. When I click restore purchases it gives a error and when I try to buy them again it says I own them :-( ... Also, biggest issue from a programmatic standpoint is that when you update any options in the settings, they don't take effect until a relaunch of the app. I believe this app is very promising, please try to address the bugs, thanks!

A Google user

6 years ago

I have tried many "drive mode" type of applications and even after deleting this one, I have ultimately returned and will keep this one. It is a smooth and easy user interface and has all of the features I wanted on my car application. The only thing I wish could be added is the full Google maps be integrated into AutoMate but it is not a huge deal and still a fantastic app!

Dean Dana

3 years ago

Great app which almost emulates the Android auto experience without changing out your head unit. 2022 UPDATE: Since Android Auto (phone edition) has been abandoned by google, I'm giving AutoMate another try. Gotta lower it 2 stars tho. Many functions simply dont work and I still dont get why phone calls wont come thru while the app is running? Whats the point? App somewhat works but is so fragmented. Unfortunate that the devs seem to have stopped working on it :(

Jason

2 years ago

Navigation does not work. Changing to waze or google maps does not return to automate after starting direction even with that setting toggle on. Voice commands record, but don't execute. App keeps crashing: more than 20 times in the hour since I downloaded it. I wished I noticed that the last change log is from 2020 and the most recently noted update (not in the change log is from 2021). Is this app still supported? If not, how can it still take money for 'premium' features that don't work?

A P (FoxtrotOne)

2 years ago

This app makes a good substitute for android auto/carplay on headunits with mirror link capabilities. It is a bit buggy when messing around with the settings, but works well after set up the way you want. The app crashes, mainly in navigation, if I don't exit the app after changing settings, such as changing default navigation app. Using the default automate nav app crashes the app always and does not function. Any setting changes don't apply until the app is exited and restarted.

A Google user

6 years ago

I prefer this app over the Google auto app because it offers quite a few more features than the Google Auto app. Do I do have one grape oh, this app just doesn't seem to display Google Maps properly in the map section. I would prefer it display the actual Google Map rather than its own proprietary off the wall map. Because when it does this it misses a lot of features that Google Maps has to offer

A Google user

6 years ago

The app it's self is great with many awesome features, however there are some bugs that need addressing. When the charger "disconnects" or the power turns off the app doesn't seem to recognize it some times which causes the screen to remain on and the music to continue playing. The reverse is true for when the charger connects or power is present therefore settings like start or launch at charger connects do not function. Also, in the navigation the icon that represents the vehicle always moves to the middle of the screen when traveling at highway speeds. If that icon could stay in the bottom of the screen that would be most helpful

A Google user

5 years ago

Would love to love this app, but it fails at the one thing I want to keep from Android Auto, the use of Google maps. It says it should let me do that in the options, but it still defaults to the Automate maps, and when I click Google maps, it bring me to the default Google maps, not the car version like Android Auto. I wish there was a way to fix this, otherwise just gonna have to stick with Android Auto.

Angie Dutton

2 years ago

I wanted this to be a good alternative to Android Auto and Google Driving mode. It is not. When I try to use Google maps, it freezes. When I receive a text it reads it, but crashes when I try to reply. It displays the current street accurately about 30% of the time. Usually only displays the street I started on. It is quite useless. I'm disappointed.

David Poole

2 years ago

SMS messages don't actually send. After you give your message, app doesn't prompt to send as it does in the screenshots. On the main screen, the current location bar works maybe 10% of the time. After adjusting settings in the app, it is necessary to completely exit and restart before changes are active. Switching from map apps (Google Maps to theirs) causes app to crash. Selecting a location to go to doesn't work and the map will not start giving directions. This app is 50% functional.

A Google user

6 years ago

Update 4/23/2019 The overspeed alert was always the speed limit is 30 no matter what the actual speed limit was. I uninstalled the app and reinstalled it. Now I don't get any driving speed or overspeed alerts. This app just keeps getting worse. It pauses my music with every notification. l am switching to another app until this is fixed. Very annoying to have to keep restarting the music. Update 3/4/2018. Four stars now. I uninstalled and reinstalled the app and the music works fine now. The only thing I don't like about it is on the main screen, the posted speed limit is too small. I can't see it when I am driving. I would like to see it moved next to the actual speed, made larger and make it look like a speed limit sign.