Google Assistant's Shutdown Continues With Driving Mode Going Away

Contents

Summary

Google Assistant is being replaced by Gemini as the default voice assistant on Android devices.
The Assistant Driving Mode feature on Google Maps is also going away for good in favor of Gemini.
Media playback controls are now accessed through the Floating Action Button in Maps settings, with notifications for incoming calls and texts staying in the shade.

Google Assistant has been dying a slow death since the company introduced Gemini as a plausible alternative in its quest to make the best AI app. This replacement is still playing feature parity catch-up with the outgoing service, but Google continues erasing the remaining traces Assistant leaves behind. It has already dealt the biggest blow by making Gemini the default voice assistant on Android devices, but confirmation just came through that Assistant Driving Mode is going away as well.

Assistant Driving Mode is a helpful little feature accessible through Google Maps on Android, offering limited device functionality via voice commands so you can keep your eyes on the road while driving. This feature came out in 2019, and it gives users a larger Dashboard-style UI with bigger on-screen buttons and glanceable information along with ready access to the voice assistant. However, Google just told 9to5Google that Assistant Driving Mode is going away for good.

The feature is no longer available to users, so you’re not alone if that chunky bottom bar just stopped showing up in Maps. This follows a gradual reduction in capabilities from 2024 when the search giant stripped Driving Mode of support for several apps such as YouTube Music, Telegram, Waze, etc. As such, a launcher wasn’t needed anymore and the bottom bar that just went away sufficed for media player control and Assistant access.

Make way for Gemini

Assistant be gone

The Google Pixel 8 showing Google Assistant activated.

The outgoing Driving Mode experience was powered by the Google app, and the company confirmed it will be replaced by a Gemini experience sometime later this year. There are no dates you can mark on the calendar yet, but Google has been reassuringly timely with most Gemini updates as it keeps up with the burgeoning competition in the AI space.

For now, you’ll be prompted to use the Assistant button in the upper right corner of the Maps UI instead of the lower left corner. This should redirect all your navigation-related instructions and queries to Assistant. Media playback controls are temporarily relegated to a Floating Action Button (FAB) if you have Show media playback controls enabled under Navigation in Maps settings. Otherwise, you will need to use the device notification shade for all incoming calls, texts, and even media player controls.