One of the cool features of Android Auto compared to other platforms like CarPlay is that even if you didn’t have a head unit in your car that supports Android Auto, you could always use it to some extent on your Android’s phone screen, allowing it to sort of mimic a head unit.
Unfortunately, it looks like that will no longer be possible. This is according to various user reports in which users are claiming that when they try to launch Android Auto on their phones, they are greeted by a message saying, “Android Auto is now only available for car screens”.
It is quite a shame because it was a good alternative compared to spending money on buying a new head unit for your car just for the feature. Users who do miss Android Auto on their phone screen can always turn to Google Assistant Driving as an alternative, even though it’s not quite the same.
Source: Android Central