Google kills Assistant Driving Mode in Maps as part of Gemini shift

It’s official: Assistant Driving Mode is dead. Google confirmed that it’s completely removing the feature from Android as part of its bigger Gemini transition.

Honestly, we saw this coming. Back in 2023, there was already a rumor that Google might kill Driving Mode early in 2024. Somehow it clung to life for an extra year, but now it’s finally gone for good.

Originally launched in 2019, Assistant Driving Mode was meant to replace Android Auto for phone screens. It started strong with a proper dashboard full of big, easy-to-tap icons for music, calls, and messages. But by February 2024, the app launcher was axed, leaving just a sad media bar and a voice control button inside Google Maps.

Now? Even those scraps are gone. Google told 9to5Google that Assistant Driving Mode has been officially pulled from Maps. Voice commands still work inside Google Maps, but the dedicated Driving Mode interface is history.

This isn’t just some random pruning either. It’s part of Google’s broader move to phase out Assistant in favor of Gemini, a transition it announced back in March 2025. Most Android devices are expected to switch over to Gemini soon, meaning Assistant as we know it is on its way out too.

If you didn’t have Android Auto in your car, Assistant Driving Mode used to be a pretty decent workaround. Now, you’ll have to rely on good old-fashioned voice controls — or maybe it’s time to start shopping for a proper Android Auto head unit.