In 2024, Google officially discontinued Driving Mode by removing most of its features.


Key Information

  • The Assistant Driving Mode in Google Maps has been permanently discontinued, as confirmed by the company.
  • This feature is another casualty in the ongoing Gemini transition.
  • As of February 2024, most functionalities were stripped away, leaving only a media control bar and a voice assistant button until recently.

Google has officially announced the removal of Assistant Driving Mode from Android as part of the Gemini transition. The feature has gone through several changes since its inception in 2019, most notably losing the app dashboard that played a vital role in the Driving Mode experience. It is now completely unavailable within the Google Maps app for Android, according to a statement to 9to5Google.

By February 2024, the app launcher featuring large, touch-friendly icons for use while driving was eliminated. The last iteration of Assistant Driving Mode provided only a media playback bar and a control button. It was primarily used by Android users without access to Android Auto, as it once offered similar functionalities.