Android Auto is testing a fix for its most annoying calling habit

Published Oct 26, 2026, 8:39 AM EDT I've been covering Android and other mobile technology for close to ten years now, with a specific interest in phone accessories, e-readers, and what makes each individual phone different from another. I delight in looking at the phone market from as many angles as possible, and while my opinions may be odd, at times, they're always from the heart as much as the head. I have a background in the mobile accessories world, which explains my odd enthusiasm for cases and things that clip onto smartphones. I worked for Digital Trends from 2017 to 2025. It looks like Android Auto is fixing its most annoying habit when placing calls. According to an APK teardown by Android Authority, Android Auto may soon let you set a phone number as a preferred option, bypassing the annoying point where it asks you if you want to call someone on their home, work or mobile numbers. Preferred numbers are coming to Android Auto It's always mobile, Android Auto. Come on Voice commands should be simple. "Call Robert" is a simple command, but not when Robert has more than one phone number in your contacts. So, every time you want to call someone through Android Auto, or Gemini more broadly, there's a step where you have to specify whether you want to call their cellphone, work number, or home phone. And it'll ask you every time, even if you only ever call one number. Sure, it's hardly a deal-breaker as far as Android Auto goes, but it is annoying to have to do this every single time. Well, Google is working on a fix for that annoying behavior. According to Android Authority's latest AssembleDebug piece, Android Auto version 18.1.164344-release.daily contains a snippet of code that would let you set a number as the preferred choice for that contact. According to Android Authority's investigation, this would take the form of a "Remember this choice" option that could be selected when you make a call. Once selected, Gemini and Android Auto will assume you want to ring that specific number each time, until you tell it otherwise. It's not currently known exactly how this option will appear, as whether you're using Android Auto or hands-free Gemini, it's safe to say you're not in a position to engage with your phone. However, even if it's just a notification that pops up after you've called someone, it's worth the time to enable. Anything to stop me having to specify the same number another hundred times. These sorts of changes are admittedly small, but they're far more important than their size would suggest. After all, an operating system is only as good as its convenience, and that's doubly true for software like Android Auto. You need to be able to trust Android Auto to get things right the first time, as you're rarely in a position where you can check for yourself or correct an incorrect prompt. Even just putting fewer annoyances in the way makes a big difference for many, myself included. This change may be coming alongside some visual changes for Android Auto, including some for the Phone app. In the new Material 3 Expressive design, the dialer numbers will be more obvious, with large rounded button designs, rather than the very minimalist design we have now. Of course, it's not all been smooth sailing for Android Auto recently, and as much as we'd love to be purely positive about these changes, it's hard to pretend these changes won't also likely bring some new bugs as well. Still, anything to avoid saying "mobile, for god's sake" ever again.