As a GrapheneOS user I am planning to use Android Auto with my next car. However, I am still not sure how to set it up in order to satisfy both my privacy and my usability needs.
I have read on the GOS forum that some people install Android Auto and a handful of necessary apps in a dedicated user profile. This actually sounds like a good solution, but I am not sure how to handle messaging apps such as Signal, which do not support multi-users on more than one Android devices. I would like to have them both in my main profile and in my Android Auto profile so I can use them for phone calls.
Any recommendations how to solve this?
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On the limitation of not being able to use the same Signal account on multiple profiles, have you tried using Molly? I believe it allows to set up Android phones as linked devices, so as long as the profile set up as the main device is allowed background use, I think it should work.
If you can use wired Android Auto, I’d use it wired instead of wireless, as wireless requires more permissions. In my case, I use it in the main profile, as I already use Google Maps, and wired Android Auto uses pretty much the same permissions
If I may hijack this topic, I was looking for something to avoid android auto altogether?
What apps do you fine folks use apart from Signal? Map software and music/podcast?
I have an older android entertainment solution integrated in the car that I am looking to replace.
I use Android Auto in the owner profile with Magic Earth, Organic Maps, AntennaPod and Spotify. I run most of my other apps (including Molly) in a separate profile without Google Play Services. I ignore messages while driving anyway, so this set-up works for me.
For my need and even with my car supporting android auto I just don’t connect my phone to it. I bought a phone holder like people used to have before and have it charging via the USB. The charging USB is one that doesn’t connect to the car for android auto. I still connect it via Bluetooth for music.
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