**Android Auto Offers a Hidden Feature to Simplify Your Driving Experience** For many drivers, connecting their Android phone to their car's dashboard via Android Auto has become a daily routine. However, few may have explored beyond the default settings to customize their experience. One key feature that can make driving easier is the option to add **Assistant shortcuts** to the Android Auto app screen. This allows users to perform various tasks with a single button press on their dashboard. Google is in the process of transitioning its apps and devices to Gemini, a new voice-controlled AI chatbot. Although the Gemini switch is ongoing, the Assistant shortcut option remains available in Android Auto for now. The possibilities for these shortcuts are vast, and users can perform a wide range of tasks, such as getting directions home, loading a Spotify playlist, opening a garage door, or having text messages read out loud. As long as the action can be performed using a Google Assistant voice command, it can be added as a shortcut button. To create an Android Auto shortcut, users should navigate to their phone's **Settings**. The exact location of the Android Auto launcher options may vary depending on the make and model of the phone. On Google Pixel phones, users can find the options by tapping **Connected devices** > **Connection preferences** > **Android Auto**. Once in the Android Auto menus, users can choose **Customize Launcher**, which allows them to pick which phone apps appear on the Android Auto dashboard. To add a custom shortcut, users can tap **Add a shortcut to the Launcher** > **An Assistant action** and type out their desired command. They can then give the shortcut a name and tap **Create shortcut**. Users can test their shortcut by tapping the **Test shortcut** button, and they can also create multiple shortcuts and group them together for easy access.