- Android Auto 15.2 breaks Quick Controls. In late September–October 2025, Google rolled out Android Auto version 15.2, and many drivers immediately noticed that the Quick Controls taskbar widget no longer worked on certain displays [1] [2]. On these affected setups, toggling “Quick Controls” (in the Android Auto settings) has no effect – the taskbar stays on the side of the screen instead of moving to the bottom, and the media/navigation shortcuts never appear [3] [4].
- What Quick Controls does. The Quick Controls widget is the old Android Auto media/navigation shortcut bar. When enabled, it shows music controls and upcoming map turns on the taskbar while another app (like Google Maps) is in full screen [5] [6]. It lets drivers pause music or glance at directions without leaving the current app. (In newer Android Auto dashboard mode, this widget is optional and must be enabled in settings [7] [8].)
- Vertical vs. horizontal screens. Crucially, the problem only appears on vehicles with vertical display layouts. Users report that on horizontal screens Quick Controls still work normally [9] [10]. This led experts to conclude the bug is likely an unintended glitch, not Google intentionally removing the feature. As Android Authority notes, the feature “still works on some display formats with a horizontal taskbar, but not on displays with a vertical taskbar,” suggesting the update broke only certain layouts [11]. Similarly, SammyGuru points out that Quick Controls “still seems to work on horizontal displays,” so it hasn’t been fully removed [12].
- Drivers are enraged. Online forums and social media lit up with angry users. TechRadar quotes one driver (John Fed) saying the bug was “driving me crazy,” while others called the breakage “annoying” and the feature “unusable” [13] [14]. Android Headlines similarly reports that after the update “the feature no longer works as intended… keeping the bar locked on the side,” and that users have deemed the issue “a headache,” “annoying,” even “unusable.” [15]. Many drivers feel stranded without their familiar media shortcut controls.
- Google says a fix is coming. As of mid-October 2025, Google has not posted any official announcement. However, tech news sites report that Google’s team is aware and investigating the problem. Jade Bryan at NextPit cites a Google community specialist who confirmed they’re looking into the bug and expect it to be “addressed in the coming days or weeks.” [16]. Moneycontrol notes that Google has made no statement yet, but experts observe that since Quick Controls still work on some devices, the disappearance in others is likely not intentional [17] [18].
- No permanent workaround yet. While drivers wait, a few temporary fixes have been shared. Some say clearing the Android Auto app’s cache or data briefly restores Quick Controls, and others have rolled back to an older AA version. In practice, however, the bug usually returns on the next drive [19] [20]. Given the widespread impact, NextPit notes Google has likely paused the 15.2 rollout on many vehicles until a proper patch is ready [21].
What’s Happening? The 15.2 Update Bug Explained
In early October 2025, Google expanded the rollout of Android Auto 15.2. This update contained no advertised new user features, but drivers quickly discovered that something in the release had “messed up the Quick Controls feature” in many cars [22]. The first reports surfaced around Sept. 27, 2025, when some users (for example, on Reddit and Google’s community forums) noticed that enabling Quick Controls no longer produced any change [23] [24]. By mid-October, tech media confirmed the issue had grown widespread. As Moneycontrol explains, this bug “appeared to have stopped working on screens where the Android Auto taskbar is displayed vertically,” right as 15.2 hit the stable channel [25] [26].
Originally, Android Auto’s Quick Controls was a popular multitasking aid. It was introduced years earlier as a way to add media playback buttons and navigation info to the bottom taskbar. For example, 9to5Google explains that with Quick Controls enabled, the taskbar will show media and map readouts even while another app (like Maps) is full-screen [27] [28]. This let drivers skip extra taps: you could pause the music or see the next map turn without reopening the music app or switching out of navigation. When Android Auto switched to the new dashboard interface, Google replaced the default bottom bar with app shortcuts, so Quick Controls was turned off by default – but the setting remained in the app for those who still wanted it [29] [30].
After the 15.2 update, that convenience vanished on many cars. Reports explain that on vertical display layouts, toggling Quick Controls does absolutely nothing. As Android Headlines describes, “activating it does nothing at all, keeping the bar locked on the side.” In normal operation, enabling Quick Controls should move the app list down to the bottom of the screen, but now the switcher simply won’t activate on vertical dashboards [31]. Moneycontrol similarly reports that “toggling the setting has no visible effect — the taskbar stays fixed in place, and the shortcut controls never appear.” [32]. In short, the Quick Controls widget is invisible and inaccessible, even with the toggle turned on.
Importantly, vehicles with horizontal displays seem unaffected. Every report emphasizes that the glitch only hit vertical orientations. Android Authority’s Aamir Siddiqui notes that Quick Controls “still works on some display formats with a horizontal taskbar” [33]. NextPit’s Jade Bryan adds that the bug is “widespread” across car models but appears only on vertical dashboards [34] [35]. In other words, most drivers on horizontal screens can still use Quick Controls. That pattern suggests Google did not intentionally rip out the feature entirely – instead, something in the 15.2 code update broke it on certain screen layouts [36] [37].
Drivers Slam the Bug
The response from Android Auto users has been strongly negative. On forums, people lament the loss of the once-handy widget. TechRadar quotes one user (“John Fed”) who said the bug was “driving me crazy,” while another Redditor called it “annoying” and pointed out it has been around “for the last few months.” [38]. Android Headlines similarly reports frustrated posts saying the update “has turned out to be more of a headache than an upgrade,” leaving one of Android Auto’s “most used tools” completely disabled [39]. Drivers point out that Quick Controls was supposed to make multitasking easier, and its disappearance is a major annoyance when trying to glance at music or map info on the go.
Tech journalists are also critical. NextPit’s Jade Bryan notes that Android Auto usually sees very few significant updates (for safety reasons), so this glitch is a glaring problem: “it seems Google may have introduced more problems than solutions” in the 15.2 release [40]. Android Authority bluntly titled its story “Google breaks another Android Auto feature without telling anyone,” reflecting the feeling that this regression was neither communicated nor expected [41]. Indeed, neither Google’s official Android Auto blog nor release notes mentioned any change to Quick Controls, so users felt caught off-guard when the feature simply stopped working.
Expert Analysis: Bug or Design?
Is this change deliberate? So far there is no clear evidence that Google wanted to remove Quick Controls entirely. All sources emphasize it’s still present on some layouts, and Google hasn’t stated any intent to drop it. As Moneycontrol observes, the fact that Quick Controls “still function normally on certain display orientations” implies the removal isn’t by design [42]. Android Authority also speculated that if the feature still works on horizontal screens, it’s likely a glitch: “something has definitely broken with the recent update” [43].
However, the timing is interesting. Android Auto has been shifting towards a cleaner, dashboard-first UI. Quick Controls was quietly turned off by default in the new design, and Google recently removed other less-used features (for example, GameSnacks games were deprecated earlier) [44]. Tech writers note that the Quick Controls option is a setting buried in the Android Auto app, so Google may have reduced its emphasis even before the bug. Android Headlines alludes to this, calling Quick Controls one of the “most handy features” that is now broken [45].
Jade Bryan of NextPit and others suggest that Google will likely restore the feature via a fix: one post points out that a Google community moderator has acknowledged the bug. According to NextPit, “one of Google’s community specialists has acknowledged the issue and confirmed that the team is investigating, so we can expect that this will be addressed in the coming days or weeks” [46]. In other words, Google is working on it. Google itself has said nothing official, but tech sites infer that the 15.2 rollout has been slowed or paused while the company fixes the Quick Controls glitch [47].
Workarounds and What’s Next
For now, affected drivers have limited recourse. Experts have relayed that clearing the Android Auto app cache or data on the phone can temporarily restore functionality for a drive, but the fix often vanishes on the next start-up [48]. Some have uninstalled updates or sideloaded an older version of the Android Auto app, which can bring the widget back – but that risks missing security fixes. As SammyGuru puts it, “There’s currently no reliable workaround.” [49].
In summary, Google’s latest Android Auto update inadvertently disabled a widely-used feature for many drivers. Major tech sites have taken note of every development: the bug’s discovery, user complaints, and Google’s response. (For example, Moneycontrol reports that “until Google addresses the issue, affected users can only wait for a potential fix in an upcoming version” [50].) We are likely just days away from an official patch. In the meantime, drivers who rely on Quick Controls will have to either switch to horizontal layouts or accept having to re-enable it each trip as Google sorts out the problem.
Sources: Multiple Android Auto forums and tech news outlets report the bug (9to5Google [51], Android Authority [52], TechRadar [53] [54], Android Headlines [55], SammyGuru [56] [57], Moneycontrol [58] [59], NextPit [60]). These quotes and facts are drawn from those reports. Each source is cited inline above.
References
1. 9to5google.com, 2. www.androidauthority.com, 3. www.androidheadlines.com, 4. sammyguru.com, 5. 9to5google.com, 6. 9to5google.com, 7. 9to5google.com, 8. 9to5google.com, 9. www.androidauthority.com, 10. sammyguru.com, 11. www.androidauthority.com, 12. sammyguru.com, 13. www.techradar.com, 14. www.androidheadlines.com, 15. www.androidheadlines.com, 16. www.nextpit.com, 17. www.moneycontrol.com, 18. www.androidauthority.com, 19. www.nextpit.com, 20. sammyguru.com, 21. www.nextpit.com, 22. sammyguru.com, 23. 9to5google.com, 24. sammyguru.com, 25. www.moneycontrol.com, 26. www.androidheadlines.com, 27. 9to5google.com, 28. 9to5google.com, 29. 9to5google.com, 30. www.techradar.com, 31. www.androidheadlines.com, 32. www.moneycontrol.com, 33. www.androidauthority.com, 34. www.nextpit.com, 35. sammyguru.com, 36. www.androidauthority.com, 37. www.moneycontrol.com, 38. www.techradar.com, 39. www.androidheadlines.com, 40. www.nextpit.com, 41. www.androidauthority.com, 42. www.moneycontrol.com, 43. www.androidauthority.com, 44. www.androidauthority.com, 45. www.androidheadlines.com, 46. www.nextpit.com, 47. www.nextpit.com, 48. www.nextpit.com, 49. sammyguru.com, 50. www.moneycontrol.com, 51. 9to5google.com, 52. www.androidauthority.com, 53. www.techradar.com, 54. www.techradar.com, 55. www.androidheadlines.com, 56. sammyguru.com, 57. sammyguru.com, 58. www.moneycontrol.com, 59. www.moneycontrol.com, 60. www.nextpit.com
