![\"SpotHero](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/spothero.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nI use Android Auto every day, and honestly, I keep coming back to the same apps. Google Maps for directions, Spotify for music, and WhatsApp for those last-minute messages. It works, but there\u2019s more to Android Auto than the apps I open out of habit.<\/p>\n
Last week, I went looking for apps that could actually make my drives more useful, not just give me another way to play music or get somewhere. I came across a few that I wouldn\u2019t have thought of looking for on my car\u2019s screen, including one for tracking fuel expenses and another for finding parking.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve been trying these four apps, and each one brings something different to Android Auto.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what stood out.<\/p>\n
SpotHero<\/p>\n
No more \u201cWhere\u2019s my car?\u201d<\/p>\n
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I hate driving somewhere new and then spending another 15 minutes looking for parking. It\u2019s even more annoying when I\u2019m running late and have to circle the same block, hoping someone pulls out of a spot. That\u2019s where SpotHero comes in handy. It lets me find and reserve parking before I arrive, so I can check available garages and lots near my destination instead of figuring everything out at the last minute.<\/p>\n
With Android Auto, I can access my existing reservations and navigate to the parking facility right from my car\u2019s screen. I still need to book and pay through the SpotHero app or website first, but having the reservation details handy is useful when I\u2019m on the road<\/a>.<\/p>\n Just keep in mind that SpotHero mainly serves drivers in the US and Canada.<\/p>\n Fuelio<\/p>\n I have someone to watch my fuel spending<\/p>\n I never think much about my fuel expenses. But with all the driving I do for errands and my daughter\u2019s classes, I\u2019d like to know how much I\u2019m actually spending each month. Right now, I\u2019d probably struggle to give you even a rough estimate.<\/p>\n Fuelio lets me log each fill-up from my dashboard, so I can check my mileage and fuel costs without digging through my phone. I enter how much I paid and how much fuel I added, then use those records to see what I\u2019m spending over time. It\u2019s also handy for comparing fuel prices between stops.<\/p>\n Fuelio lets me check nearby fuel prices and review my mileage or trip logs from the car\u2019s display. I can also access a simplified fill-up screen. I\u2019d still enter details when the car is parked, but having these options in Android Auto makes the app more useful than a basic fuel expense tracker.<\/p>\n Pocket Casts<\/p>\n It makes every drive a listening session<\/p>\n I\u2019m the kind of person who needs something playing in the car. Music is my usual choice, but sometimes I get tired of hearing the same songs on repeat. I\u2019ve tried putting on podcasts before, but finding an episode I want to hear can turn into another thing to fiddle with on my phone. That\u2019s where Pocket Casts comes in.<\/p>\n I can browse my podcasts, pick an episode, and manage my listening queue. On Android Auto, I can access supported playback controls from the car\u2019s screen, which makes it easier to pick up where I left off without handling my phone. I like having something longer to listen to when I\u2019m driving across town or stuck waiting in traffic<\/a>.<\/p>\n The best part is that I don\u2019t have to choose between music and podcasts for every drive. If I\u2019m in the mood to hear people talk about a topic I\u2019m interested in, I can switch to a podcast instead of skipping through half my music library looking for something different.<\/p>\n Samsung SmartThings<\/p>\n I can control my smart home from the car<\/p>\n You probably wouldn\u2019t expect Samsung SmartThings in a list of Android Auto apps, but here we are. I usually think of Android Auto as a place for Maps, music, and messages, not controlling things at home. But SmartThings lets me select up to six compatible devices to access from my car\u2019s screen.<\/p>\n I can switch on compatible lights, start my robot vacuum, or even kick off a load of laundry while I\u2019m out. That way, a few chores can be taken care of before I get home. I don\u2019t have to pull out my phone <\/a>and open SmartThings separately to access these controls.<\/p>\n It\u2019s an unexpected use for Android Auto.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Related<\/p>\n \t\t These are called GEMS.<\/p>\n I gave my Android Auto a purpose beyond Maps and music<\/p>\n I didn\u2019t expect to find apps that would change how I use Android Auto, but these made me rethink what belongs on my car\u2019s screen.<\/p>\n I\u2019m still figuring out which ones I\u2019ll use most often, but I like having options beyond my usual routine.<\/p>\n Try the ones that fit your daily life and see which ones stick. Sometimes the most useful addition is an app you wouldn\u2019t have thought to look for in the first place.<\/p>\n![\"Fuelio](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1792310893_259_fuelio-app.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Pocket](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/pocket-casts-on-android-auto.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Samsung](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/samsung-smartthings-on-android-auto.jpeg\")
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\n ![\"Four](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1792310895_498_four-apps-on-android-auto.jpg\"\/)
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\n\t\t\tBored with Google Maps and Spotify? Try these 4 Android Auto apps
\n\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
![\"CarPlay](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/carplay-settings.jpg\"\/)
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