This feature keeps distracting spam calls away while using Android Auto
Google has extended its Call Screen feature to work through Android Auto, allowing phones to vet unknown or suspicious calls before drivers need to decide whether to answer while behind the wheel. Rather than being a new Android Auto function, Call Screen remains a phone-based feature that now surfaces its results in the car via the Phone by Google app, giving drivers one less distraction when unfamiliar numbers appear on the dashboard.
The feature works in two ways: manual screening lets users tap "Screen call" so Call Assist asks who is calling and shows a live transcript, while automatic screening on supported Pixel phones silently vets calls and hangs up on suspected spam without any input. It runs entirely on-device, requiring no Wi-Fi or data, and Google says audio and transcripts are not saved to a user's account. However, availability is inconsistent: automatic screening is limited to Pixel phones in the US, manual screening is available on Pixel devices across several countries including the UK, and some other Android phones in the US and Canada, with no full list of supported models published, and the feature does not work while roaming.
- Google's Call Screen now works via Android Auto to filter calls while driving
- Automatic screening is Pixel-only in the US; manual screening has wider reach
- Setup is done in the Phone app, not Android Auto itself
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Call Screen is a feature in Google’s Phone app that helps users deal with calls from numbers they do not recognise. It can ask callers to identify themselves and show their replies as text, or, on some Pixel phones, automatically check calls and reject suspected spam.
Android Auto displays the phone’s Call Screen options and results on the car’s dashboard, so drivers can handle unfamiliar calls with less need to look at their phones. The screening is done on the phone itself, and Google says it does not save the audio or transcripts to users’ accounts.
Availability depends on the phone and country: automatic screening is limited to Pixel phones in the US, while manual screening is available on Pixel phones in several countries, including the UK. The feature is also offered on some other Android phones in the US and Canada, and does not work while roaming.