Support for work accounts was recently discovered in an unreleased version of Android Auto. It could be a perfect feature for users who need to connect to their work vehicle without personal apps enabled.
Android has an existing separation of data for work apps. Work Accounts lets users divide personal and business accounts, isolating the data and applications between them. For users who have Work Profiles enabled, a small briefcase icon signifies whether these apps are turned on or accessible. Those apps then run in separate instances.
Android Auto has not and still does not officially support Work Profiles. But an unreleased version of the app shows signs of support, discovered by Android Authority. The Android Auto build (18.0.664204) adds Work Account to the Quick Settings tile options.
Similar to how it functions on mobile Android, enabling it lights up a briefcase icon over the app drawer, so you know those app versions are enabled. The test version isn’t fully functional, but it may mean Google is planning to add a critical function for some users to Android Auto.
Work Account support in Android Auto would be a great addition for work or corporate vehicles. Those who spend work hours behind the wheel are missing out on support for those apps, hindering the experience Android Auto tries to provide.
There’s no telling if or when Work Accounts get support in Android Auto, but it’s appearance signals it might be soon.
More on Android Auto:
- Android Auto 18.0 update starts rolling out, continues to gear up for redesign
- Android Auto rolling out fix that stops auto-playing music when you start your car
- Android Auto might start requiring Android 11 or later soon, driver reports suggest
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