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In the early days of Android Auto, the platform was meant to be a simple way to access navigation, music, and phone interactions through a vehicle's infotainment system. Major updates have taken place over the years, with future updates even having the potential to change how you use your dashboard entirely. As it has developed, Android Auto has made the car a place to catch up on news, play some games, and even make business transactions.

In fact, an entire ecosystem of apps has formed around the Android Auto platform, with both Google and third-party developers making a wide range of compatible apps. While everybody installs essential Android Auto apps like Spotify or Google Maps, there are also a number of apps that you might not expect to be compatible with Android Auto.

Many of these apps have been available to Android phone and tablet users for years, having only more recently been tailored to in-vehicle use. Others have been quietly available to Android Auto users for some time. While the platform first and foremost ensures that driving remains the top priority, plenty of apps can complement and expand what can be done in a vehicle, and we've selected what we feel to be some of the more surprising options among them.

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Zoom Workplace is one of the more popular video conferencing and collaboration platforms out there. It has more than one billion downloads on the Google Play Store, but it's available for a number of different operating systems and platforms. Available to download for free, it allows users access to video meetings, team chats, AI-powered productivity tools, and phone calls, and is a staple in professional working environments.

Zoom is one of the essential apps for remote workers, and with Android Auto, the car can also become a temporary working environment. The Android Auto interface allows for the management of phone calls, and users can start and join scheduled Zoom meetings and conference calls directly on a vehicle's display.

However, while desktop and mobile versions of Zoom allow for video meetings, the Android Auto app does not have video support. This may demote the app to the ranks of other messaging apps for the Android Auto platform, but Zoom's audio-only features can still be beneficial to drivers who depend on the software for keeping up with work while on the go.

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One way to get the news is through Google News, a popular news aggregator that's accessible in a number of different ways. Users can access Google News through its app across different platforms, as well as through the Google News webpage. It pulls together top local, national, and international stories, updating throughout the day to keep users current on the news. Ultimately, Google News is about providing a personalized news feed.

Through Android Auto, that news feed is accessible right in your vehicle. When it's installed on a connected phone, Google News becomes one of Android Auto's default apps. This is a great way to keep your eyes off your phone while driving, and Google Assistant integration means the app can be used entirely with voice commands as well. The hands-free experience may even be preferable when the vehicle is in gear.

Google News, however, can't read full news articles while you drive. The app delivers only briefings, as its intentions are more about the organization and presentation of news articles rather than being a journalistic source in and of itself. But quick updates about what matters most to you in the world are available right in the car through Google News for Android Auto.

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Gaming may not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of Android Auto, and that's exactly why GameSnacks is one of the more surprising Android Auto apps we've come across. Android Auto's Park and Play feature allows games to be played on a vehicle's infotainment display as long as the vehicle is parked. It brings classics like "Angry Birds 2," "Candy Crush Soda Saga," and "Beach Buggy Racing" directly to your vehicle screen.

But the GameSnacks app opens up the door to an even broader suite of games that can be played in the car. GameSnacks is a web gaming service developed by Google, and its games are meant to be much more casual than some of the titles mentioned above. They're more in line with the kinds of games that sometimes come pre-installed on computer operating systems. Games like chess, billiards, solitaire, Mahjong, and gin rummy are among them, as are more specific titles like "Space Survivor" and "Ghost Pro Racing."

Because you can only play games on Android Auto when your vehicle is parked, the simplicity of the games found in the GameSnacks library makes the app worth installing. It's a quick, effortless, and pretty surprising way to pass a few minutes in your vehicle, whether that's because you're early to a meeting or because you're waiting to pick the kids up from school.

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Initially built with gamers in mind, Discord has also become popular among creators looking to build a community. With more than 500 million downloads in the Google Play Store alone, it's one of the more widely used chat platforms. It has servers dedicated to everything from gaming to sports teams, and from book clubs to professional networking.

Discord supports text, voice, and video communications across different operating systems and platforms, but the app for Android Auto is somewhat limited. The app organizes messages and conversations and displays them on your vehicle's display, with Google Assistant available to read messages aloud and to create responses using only your voice. The app doesn't offer access to servers, and excludes some other features Discord is known for. Still, it can be useful for keeping Discord conversations top-of-mind while in the car.

While the Discord experience on Android Auto is more comparable to that of simple messaging apps, that it's available for the platform at all may be a pleasant surprise to Discord fans. Many users have come to know each other well through some of their common interests, all because of Discord. The Android Auto app allows that connection to ride along in the car while out and about.

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