A recent Android Auto update has altered the way Google Maps looks Defaulting to a centered view is making it difficult to see live location Workaround requires closing the search bar, which is irritating and distracting Google has recently updated its Google Maps software on vehicle head units and infotainment systems that are compatible with Android Auto,

One of the main selling points of Android Auto is the integration of Google Maps into your dashboard, with the bonus of controlling all of your podcasts. The car friendly UI is, in general, pretty simple and readable at a glance.

The Google Maps app for Android Auto now centers your arrow on the map, making it tricky to see behind the large destination box.

The latest update to Android Auto has made a slight UI change to Google Maps. The change is now causing some issues.

After an Android Auto update, Google Maps now defaults to a centered view when not in active navigation. Drivers have reported finding it difficult to view their surrounding map whenever a destination isn't selected. Right now, the only workaround is to hide Google's destinations menu every time you drive.

The latest update to Android Auto, v13.6, doesn’t change this behavior, nor it is the cause. In our testing, we found the centered UI to be live on Android Auto v13.4, but it only showed up after updating to the latest Google Maps version.