A bug in Google’s Gemini AI assistant is causing issues for some Android and Android Auto users. They can’t make phone calls using voice commands, which leaves drivers facing error messages instead of connecting with their contacts.
What’s Breaking
Users attempting to use Gemini for calls—whether on their Android phone or through Android Auto (Google’s system that mirrors phone apps on a car’s dashboard)—are running into errors instead of getting connected. This problem seems to impact a segment of users rather than everyone, but the consistent reports confirm that it’s a real and widespread issue, not just isolated cases.
This situation is especially frustrating for Android Auto users. Making hands-free calls is one of the most fundamental and safety-critical features of the system. If you can’t tell your car’s assistant to “call Mom” while keeping your hands on the wheel, you lose one of the main reasons to use voice commands in the first place.
Reports have emerged on both 9to5Google and Android Authority. Multiple users describe the same experience: issuing a voice command to call someone only to receive an error response instead of hearing the phone ring.
The Bigger Picture: A Rocky Gemini Transition
This bug isn’t happening in isolation. The transition from Google Assistant to Gemini on Android Auto has been rocky since it started. Google has been gradually replacing the older Google Assistant with Gemini across its products, and Android Auto has faced some of the more complex challenges during this shift.
Imagine swapping out an engine while someone’s still driving the car. Gemini is a more advanced AI in many respects, but integrating it with Android Auto’s calling, navigation, and messaging features has created friction that the old Assistant didn’t experience. This call bug serves as a prime example of how that friction is now a significant problem for drivers.
As of now, Google hasn’t issued any official statement about the bug or provided a timeline for a fix.
Community Reactions
“This is genuinely a safety issue. I rely on hands-free calling every single commute. Telling people to just use their phone manually is not an acceptable workaround while driving.”
“It worked fine for months and then just… stopped. No update notice, no warning. Just suddenly broken. Classic Google.”
What This Means
For everyday drivers, this bug is more than just an annoyance. Hands-free calling is designed so you don’t need to touch your phone while driving. When that feature fails, your options become limited to pulling over, skipping the call, or doing something unsafe. None of these choices are good during a commute or a road trip.
If you’re affected, there’s currently no confirmed workaround besides manually dialing from your phone (safely, while parked) or using a Bluetooth earpiece separate from Android Auto. Some users have reported that switching back to Google Assistant temporarily, if that option is still available on their device, fixes the issue. Unfortunately, this solution isn’t accessible to everyone, depending on how far along they are in the Gemini rollout.
The bigger concern here is trust. Voice assistants in cars gain their value by being reliable for essential functions. Navigation, messaging, and calls are basics. When a bug disrupts one of these key features, it shakes confidence in the entire system. Users start to question whether the Gemini upgrade was actually an improvement.
What To Watch
- Google’s response: The company hasn’t commented yet. A fix could come as a server-side update (meaning it would happen automatically, with no need for downloads) or through a Gemini app update. Keep an eye on the Google app and Gemini app changelogs.
- Android Auto update: Google regularly pushes Android Auto updates via the Play Store. An update addressing this bug could arrive any day if engineers have pinpointed the cause.
- Ongoing Gemini rollout: Google is still expanding Gemini’s reach across Android devices. How they handle this bug could indicate how carefully they’re managing the overall transition from Google Assistant.
- User reports: Communities on Reddit’s r/AndroidAuto and r/Android are actively tracking which app versions and device configurations are affected. If you want to stay updated, those threads offer the quickest sources of real-world data.
Ava Mitchell
Ava Mitchell is a digital culture journalist at Explosion.com covering social media platforms, streaming services, and the creator economy. With 4 years reporting on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and the apps that shape daily life, Ava specializes in explaining platform policy changes and their impact on everyday users. She previously managed social media strategy for a tech startup, giving her firsthand experience with the platforms she now covers.
