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.
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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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Did you ever solve this issue? I’m running into the same thing. Have Signal in my day to day profile but android auto in a separate user profile. I still want to be able to receive ‘Signal’ calls. Was thinking of the Molly solution as well. Did you try it? Thanks.
I would love to test it but I don’t have a car with Android auto. I can’t see why Molly’s Multi-device support wouldn’t work. If you have a car with Android auto you can just try side-loading Molly and see if it works or not.
A few issues I can see is:
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Make sure Molly is using FCM push notifications. There are no reasons to using WebSocket when you have Sandboxed Play Services installed.
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If you have issues with you can’t take calls with your cars steering wheel buttons try disable Screen Lock in Settings → Privacy → App security if it still isn’t working also try disable passphrase encryption.
As @quitet.gear said use wired, because wireless requires more permissions. And another thing to consider in the Android auto profile is to install Google Messages for RCS for the annoying people that still is using SMS.
Yes, I have been doing it like this for more than one year now. Normal Signal app in my owner profile and Molly with the same account in my car profile.
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