What you need to know
- Google Assistant will remain available on Android Auto “until March 2026,” according to a support document.
- It’s unclear whether Assistant’s time will come to an end on other platforms around the same time.
- Google just started the Gemini rollout on Android Auto, and it’ll continue over the coming months.
Following a preview ahead of Google I/O 2025 in May, Gemini is finally starting to replace Google Assistant on Android Auto. The transition started to take effect for some Android Auto users earlier this month, and the rollout officially began Nov. 20. Not long after, there are signs that Google is preparing to deprecate Google Assistant from Android Auto completely after the new year. A support document quietly states that Assistant won’t be available for much longer.
The document, spotted by 9to5Googlestates that “Google Assistant is still available for use until March 2026.” The message specifically refers to the Android Auto platform, not the entire Google ecosystem. Some platforms, like Android and Wear OS, are further along in the Gemini transition than others, including Google Home and Google TV. Here’s the full disclaimer:
Gemini is replacing Google Assistant on most mobile devices. Learn more about what you can do with Gemini, privacy, protection of minors and availability for supported devices, languages and territories. Gemini will understand the same commands as Google Assistant and also give you the option to speak naturally. Google Assistant is still available for use until March 2026.
While the full banner message calls out the transition as being for “most mobile devices,” this message only appears with the March 2026 cutoff date on the Android Auto Help page. Still, considering Google says the Gemini for Android Auto rollout will continue over the coming months, it may prove to be a quick cutoff date.
It is possible Google makes Google Assistant available on Android Auto beyond March 2026, and is simply priming users for the change ahead of time. It’s not uncommon for Google to extend these software deprecation timelines. For example, the company just extended the Google Duo shutdown by a few months, after the original September 2025 target came and went.
Google may not be holding itself to its initial Assistant shutdown timeframes for other platforms, either. The company originally said in March 2025 that “later this year, the classic Google Assistant will no longer be accessible on most mobile devices, or available for new downloads on mobile app stores.” While there’s still time for Google to meet this target, 2025 is coming to a close fast.
Google’s latest support document previews Assistant’s run on Android Auto coming to an end on Android Auto in March 2026, but it’s unclear how or if this affects the Assistant experience on other platforms.
