Android Auto has been one of the biggest quality-of-life upgrades for drivers over the past decade. It's made navigation, music, calls, and messages far easier and safer to access on the road.

I recently learned that you can actually run Android Auto on almost any device instead of just in a car, including an old Android phone. That's when the realization hit me: I could repurpose its minimalist, driver-focused interface into a familiar-looking dashboard for my desk.

Android Auto isn't just for cars

The driving-focused interface works surprisingly well on a desk, too

We all have a pretty good understanding of how Android Auto works in cars. The software runs on your phone, while your car's infotainment display acts as the screen and input device.

That essentially means that as long as you have a device running software capable of acting as an Android Auto receiver, you can get Android Auto running on it.

One of the easiest devices to turn into an Android Auto display is, of course, another Android device, which in my case is my old phone. There's a good chance you have one sitting in a drawer as well, making this a project that's easy to replicate.

Now, you might be wondering why I'd want to run Android Auto at home when it's so heavily optimized for driving. That's actually exactly what makes it such a great desk dashboard.

I obviously don't need turn-by-turn navigation while I'm sitting at my desk, but that's only one piece of the experience.

A surprising number of apps offer native Android Auto support, letting me control Spotify, which I actually use on my PC, access Gemini, check messages, see notifications at a glance, and even control compatible smart home devices—all without picking up my primary phone.

In a nutshell, Android Auto on my desk gives me glanceable information and instant access to my smartphone on a separate display, complete with large buttons, voice commands, and minimal distractions. It's a much more intentional interface than unlocking my phone every time I want to do something simple.

Quiz
8 Questions · Test Your Knowledge

How does the U.S. deal with phones + driving?
Trivia challenge

Think you know the rules of the road when it comes to phones, GPS, and gadgets? Put your knowledge to the test.

Distracted DrivingState LawsMobile DevicesSafety TechEnforcement
01 / 8
Mobile Devices

What is the term commonly used in U.S. traffic law to describe using a handheld device while driving?

Correct! 'Distracted driving' is the widely accepted legal and regulatory term used across U.S. states to describe activities — including phone use — that divert a driver's attention. The NHTSA tracks distracted driving fatalities separately from other crash causes each year.
Not quite. The correct term is 'distracted driving,' which is used by the NHTSA and state legislatures nationwide. It covers visual, manual, and cognitive distractions, and texting while driving hits all three categories at once.
02 / 8
State Laws

Which U.S. state was the first to ban handheld cell phone use while driving statewide?

Correct! New York was the first U.S. state to ban handheld cell phone use while driving, passing its law back in 2001. The law took effect in November 2001 and set a precedent that dozens of other states would eventually follow.
Not quite. New York holds the distinction of being the first state to ban handheld cell phone use while driving, with a law enacted in 2001. California followed years later, and many other states have since adopted similar or even stricter hands-free requirements.
03 / 8
Enforcement

What type of fine structure do many U.S. states use to discourage repeated handheld device violations while driving?

Correct! Many states use an escalating fine structure, where first-time offenders pay a lower penalty and repeat violators face increasingly steep fines. This tiered approach is designed to deter habitual distracted driving behavior.
Not quite. Most U.S. states with handheld device laws use escalating fines — meaning the penalty gets worse each time you're caught. For example, in New York, fines can range from $50 to over $400 depending on how many prior violations you have.
04 / 8
Safety Tech

Which federal law regulates the installation and use of electronic logging devices (ELDs) in commercial trucks in the United States?

Correct! The ELD Mandate, enforced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), requires most commercial truck and bus drivers to use electronic logging devices. These devices automatically record driving hours to prevent fatigued driving caused by hours-of-service violations.
Not quite. The correct answer is the ELD Mandate under the FMCSA, which became fully enforceable in 2019. Electronic logging devices replaced paper logbooks and are designed to ensure commercial drivers comply with hours-of-service rules, reducing fatigue-related crashes.
05 / 8
Mobile Devices

In most U.S. states with hands-free laws, which of the following is generally still legal while driving?

Correct! In states with hands-free laws, using a phone mounted on a dashboard or windshield and operated by voice commands is typically permitted. The key distinction is that the device must not be held in your hand and must not require manual input while the vehicle is in motion.
Not quite. The answer is using a phone mounted on the dashboard with voice commands, which is generally allowed under hands-free laws. Holding a phone for any reason — including voice-to-text or GPS — is prohibited in many states, so a proper mount is the legal workaround.
06 / 8
State Laws

Which U.S. state introduced a 'distracted driving' law in 2021 that bans virtually all handheld device use, including briefly checking a notification at a red light?

Correct! Oregon updated its distracted driving law to be among the strictest in the nation, prohibiting handheld device use even when stopped at a red light. The law recognizes that glancing at your phone momentarily still takes your attention away from the driving environment.
Not quite. Oregon has one of the strictest hands-free laws in the country, explicitly banning handheld device use even when stopped at a red light. This closes a loophole some drivers exploited by checking their phones only when the car wasn't moving.
07 / 8
Safety Tech

What is the primary purpose of the 'Do Not Disturb While Driving' feature found on modern smartphones in the context of U.S. traffic safety?

Correct! 'Do Not Disturb While Driving' features — available on both iOS and Android — use motion detection or car Bluetooth connections to automatically silence alerts and limit phone interaction while driving. Apple introduced the feature in iOS 11 in response to growing pressure to combat distracted driving.
Not quite. The 'Do Not Disturb While Driving' feature is designed to suppress notifications and discourage phone interaction while the device detects vehicle motion. It was introduced by Apple in iOS 11 and is mirrored by Android's similar driving mode, both aimed at reducing tech-related driver distraction.
08 / 8
Distracted Driving

According to the NHTSA, how many feet does a car traveling at 55 mph travel in the time it takes to read an average text message (about 5 seconds)?

Correct! The NHTSA famously states that at 55 mph, reading a 5-second text message is the equivalent of driving the entire length of a football field — about 300 feet — completely blindfolded. This statistic has become a cornerstone of distracted driving awareness campaigns across the country.
Not quite. According to the NHTSA, a car going 55 mph covers approximately the length of a football field — around 300 feet — in the 5 seconds it takes to read a typical text message. This striking comparison has been used widely in public safety campaigns to illustrate just how dangerous a momentary glance at your phone can be.
Challenge Complete

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/ 8

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How I turned my old Android phone into a handy desk dashboard

A simple setup transformed unused hardware into something genuinely useful

Android Auto being hosted on an Android phone. Credit: Ismar Hrnjicevic / How-To Geek

Before I even thought about setting up Android Auto, I first needed to get the hardware in place. A minimalist phone stand that keeps the phone at the right angle was a no-brainer, and I also needed a charger if I wanted this to run as a proper dash 24/7. All in all, a pretty simple setup.

Ugreen Magnetic Phone Stand on a white background
UGREEN Magnetic Phone Stand for MagSafe
Compatible Devices
MagSafe devices
Color(s)
Black, Grey

This Ugreen magnetic phone stand is a black, adjustable desk accessory designed for MagSafe-compatible iPhones. It has a powerful magnetic grip and a scratch-resistant silicone surface. The stand has height adjustment, 360-degree rotation, and a foldable, travel-friendly design. An included metal ring extends compatibility to other phones and cases.

$14 at Amazon

The next step was choosing the right app to turn the phone into an Android Auto receiver.

Headunit Reloaded is by far the most popular, but since a lot of people in the reviews reported issues with it, I opted for Headunit Revived instead.

After installing Headunit Revived on my old phone, I also installed the Wireless Helper companion app on my OnePlus 15, which is my main phone.

When you open Headunit Revived for the first time, the menu can feel a bit intimidating because the options aren't exactly self-explanatory. Luckily for you, I've gone through the trouble myself, so just follow what I did.

To establish the initial connection, open Headunit Revived on your old phone and go into Settings. Make sure it's set to Wireless Helper under Wireless Mode, and set the Helper Connection Strategy to Wi-Fi Direct (P2P).

The settings in Headunit Revived with Wireless Helper enabled.

On your primary phone, open the Wireless Helper app. Change the Connection Mode to Wi-Fi Direct. Under Wi-Fi Direct Device Name(s), enter the device name of your Android Auto device, which is displayed at the top of the home screen in the Headunit Revived app—I couldn't figure out why my phone wasn't connecting until I realized the device wasn't there.

The Wireless Helper app with the Connection mode set to Wi-Fi Direct.

Once that's done, simply tap the Start Android Auto button at the top. On the phone running Headunit Revived, tap the Wi-Fi option and, when the two devices connect, tap To Android Auto.

If you want your main phone to connect to Android Auto automatically whenever you're home, the Wireless Helper app has the option to set Auto Start Service to when you connect to your home Wi-Fi, though that can be inconvenient whenever you try using the phone away from the desk.

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If you'd like to take things even further, you should set the app up so that it's always ready to start when you sit down at your desk. In the app's settings, go to Auto-start settings and enable Start on screen so that it auto-launches whenever you unlock the screen. Also, under Auto-Connect Settings, enable Auto-Connect Last Session.

Start on screen boot enabled in the Headunit Revived app.

There are a couple of things you should set up on your old phone outside the app as well. Make sure battery optimization for the app is disabled to prevent Android Auto from going into sleep and, if you want the phone to always be on and ready, enable the Stay Awake option in Developer Options.

Lastly, I recommend setting the screen orientation to horizontal and playing around with the pixel density value in the Headunit Revived app. I increased the DPI slightly so that Android Auto defaults to opening my apps in full screen instead of splitting them with Google Maps, which I don't need for my dashboard.

This project turned out way more useful than I could've imagined

I thought this would be a fun little addition to my desk, but it ended up being one of my favorite projects I’ve ever done.

Being able to see what song is playing and change it in Spotify has been great, but reading messages at a glance, answering phone calls on the loudspeaker in seconds, and controlling my smart lights has been the real icing on top.