Users of Android Auto have been eagerly awaiting a visual redesign, which began rolling out this month after extensive beta testing. Named Coolwalk, the redesign was a major topic at CES 2023. However, this isn't the only improvement coming to Android Auto. As previously reported in summer 2022, the infotainment system is now making its new scrubbing bar more widely available.
For those who enjoy listening to audiobooks or podcasts on long drives, it can be difficult to resume listening after pausing and losing your place. The current solution, using a connected phone to access the progress bar, is dangerous while driving. Android Auto addresses this issue with the addition of a playback progress bar that can be accessed on the car's infotainment screen. This is a significant upgrade from the previous controls, which only allowed restarting a track or skipping to the next one.
The new linear progress bar replaces the circular one surrounding the play/pause button and can be found in all music playback apps compatible with Android Auto. However, the rollout appears to be gradual, with only a few reports from users at the time of writing. It's possible that the Coolwalk design upgrade is what enables the new scrubbing bar for many users, even though these features were introduced separately.
This addition could give Android Auto an advantage over Apple CarPlay in terms of customizability, as the latter still lacks widespread support for a seek bar. Hopefully, Google will also roll out this essential change to users of older versions of Android Auto.
Source: Android Police