Android Auto Gains Google Call Screen to Help Keep Spam Calls Off Your Dashboard

Call Screen can work in two ways. With manual screening, the driver chooses the "Screen call" option when an unknown call arrives, and Call Assist handles the initial conversation. With automatic screening, available on supported Pixel phones, the phone silently screens unknown or suspicious calls; if it detects spam, it hangs up, otherwise it can ring and show information about how the caller responded. The automatic mode is the one most relevant to driving, because it removes the need to make an instant judgment about an unfamiliar number.

Google says Call Screen runs on the device itself and does not require Wi-Fi or mobile data. The company also states that call audio and transcripts are not saved to the Google Account, Google Assistant activity, or Web & App Activity.

Setup happens in the Phone by Google app, not in Android Auto. Users open the Phone app, tap More, go to Settings, then Spam and Call Screen or Call Screen, and select Call Screen. The exact controls vary by device: Pixel 7 and newer models offer automatic screening with protection levels for spam, possibly faked numbers, and first-time callers, while Pixel 6 and older models use Unknown call settings to determine which callers should be screened. Google has not published a separate Android Auto setup procedure; its documentation says that using Phone by Google as the default calling app brings some smart calling features into the car.

Not every phone that runs Android Auto can use Call Screen. Android Auto itself requires Android 9 or newer for wired connections and Android 11 or later for wireless, but those requirements only govern Android Auto compatibility. Call Screen availability depends on the phone model and region. Google offers automatic Call Screen on Pixel phones in the US, and manual screening on Pixel devices in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Spain, the UK, and the US. Some selected Android devices in the US and Canada can also use manual screening, but Google does not publish a complete list.

Other call-screening products are not necessarily the same. Samsung includes its own call screening feature on some Galaxy devices, which works only through Samsung's Phone app and is not documented as available through Android Auto. Google also does not clearly state which Samsung models, if any, support Google's Call Screen. In addition, automatic Call Screen may not work on some phones while Bluetooth is connected, and it does not work while roaming, according to Google.