Android Auto requirements now list Android 11 as the minimum
Google's Android Auto requirements now call for a phone running Android 11 or newer, for both wired and wireless connections to a car display. Phones stuck on Android 9 or 10, which Android Auto supported until recently, no longer meet the minimum.
What Google's support page says
Google's "Get started with Android Auto" help page lists what you need to use Android Auto on a car display. For a USB connection, it now asks for "an Android phone with Android 11.0 (Red Velvet Cake) or higher and an active data plan," along with a compatible car and a high-quality USB cable.
For wireless, Google says projection works with any phone on Android 11 that has an active data plan and 5GHz Wi-Fi support, plus a compatible car or stereo. In the EU, phones must also meet extra regulatory rules for using 5GHz Wi-Fi in a car. Google says Pixel 3 and newer models comply.
The page also notes that Android Auto isn't available on phones running Android (Go edition), and that Android Auto is built into phones, so there's nothing separate to download.
What changed
9to5Google, which reported the change on Monday, November 9, says Android Auto previously supported Android 9 and Android 10, and that Google only updated its documentation this week. The site reports that some drivers started seeing a "Phone will no longer be supported" message in October. It also notes that the latest app update, Android Auto 18.1, still supports Android 10.
Google's help page lists the new minimum but doesn't give a date for when phones on older versions stop connecting.
What it means for you
If you use Android Auto in your car, check which Android version your phone runs. Open the Settings app, tap About phone, then tap Android version. If it says 11 or higher, nothing changes for you.
If your phone is on Android 9 or 10, look for a system update first: open Settings, tap System, then Software updates. Google says update schedules vary by device, manufacturer and carrier, and that "older devices can't always run newer Android versions." If your phone can't move to Android 11, plan for Android Auto to stop working on it at some point, even if it still connects today.
If you keep an older phone in the car just for Android Auto, any replacement needs Android 11 or later, plus 5GHz Wi-Fi if your car supports wireless Android Auto.