Google’s latest beta for the Android Auto 13.5 update – rolling out now to those signed up via the Play Store – features a slight tweak.

Android Auto allows drivers or riders to connect a phone to their vehicle display. It’s mostly used in cars and vans, but has also been deployed on motorbikes.

Once connected your Android apps appear on the screen.

With Google Assistant you can use your voice to get help finding routes and play particular songs, albums or playlists; ask for the latest news and weather; or seek information on the closest petrol station. It can also read messages and type responses based on voice commands.

Cars become vehicles. Image: Android Authority.

And with digital car key, selected phones can now unlock, lock and start compatible cars. Google says that with Fast Pair you only need to tape once for your phone to pair with and remember a new car.

So, what’s changed?

The folks at 9 to 5 Google have noticed in many instances within the app the new beta has changed the longstanding word “car” to “vehicles”.

“Examples of this include ‘Connected cars’ becoming ‘Connected vehicles’,  the ‘Connect a car’ button becoming ‘Connect a vehicle’…” the website reported, adding: “Motorcycles are specifically mentioned within the app’s strings, quite a few years after motorcycle makers started using the platform.”

It said it had also noticed new icons for motorcycles, “as well as assets for select brands. Geely, Leap Motor, Fiat and others are mentioned, as is Lucid Motors. Lucid previously announced that the Lucid Air would pick up Android Auto support in late 2024, but the update does not appear to have rolled out yet as the automaker is apparently waiting on certification”.

How exactly this may change the app, and what if anything might be included for people driving vehicles other than cars, remains unclear.