It looks like Google is getting serious about making driving safer—and cooler. A recent APK teardown of the Android Auto app reveals that the company may be gearing up to support smart glasses for real-time driving directions. Imagine cruising with Google Maps in your line of sight, no dashboard glances required.
If you’ve ever fumbled to check your car’s infotainment screen mid-turn, you’re not alone. It’s a common problem—and a risky one. Some high-end vehicles already offer heads-up displays or embedded dash screen maps to help drivers keep their eyes on the road. But let’s be real: most cars on the road today don’t have those features. That’s where smart glasses could step in.
A New Way to Navigate: No More Glancing Down
In the newest version of the Android Auto app (v14.2.151544), two strings of code hint at the upcoming feature:
1. <string name=”GLASSES_OPTIONS_TITLE”>Glasses</string>
2. <string name=”GLASSES_SETTING_TEXT”>Start navigation to launch Glasses</string>
This doesn’t scream “smart glasses navigation” just yet—but the Hindi translation gives it away. Instead of simply prompting to “launch Glasses,” the Hindi version says:
“स्मार्ट ग्लास पर नेविगेशन देखने के लिए, नेविगेशन शुरू करें”
Which translates to: “To view navigation on smart glasses, start navigation.” Yep, that’s confirmation.
Will Smart Glasses Make Driving Safer?
Google seems to be betting that they might. This feature, still in early development, could allow navigation prompts to appear directly in a driver’s field of vision—potentially reducing the need to look down at your car screen altogether.
But the question remains: is it really less distracting to glance at your smart glasses than a screen on your dash? That will likely depend on how seamless and non-intrusive the display actually is. If it’s well-integrated, this could be a game changer for daily commutes, especially in congested urban areas where every second counts.