Voice commands not working until phone is unlocked!!!

[jstew182]

I just recently installed the 4100nex and when using voice commands android auto seems to be working but won't actually respond to my request until I unlock my phone (nexus 6p). Anyone know of a fix? Seems absurd and dangerous.

 

[beesee]

I just recently installed the 4100nex and when using voice commands android auto seems to be working but won't actually respond to my request until I unlock my phone (nexus 6p). Anyone know of a fix? Seems absurd and dangerous.

This problem should only be temporary. A recent update by Google (Google app or Google Play Services perhaps) caused the problem. Android Auto's voice response was working normally until a couple of days ago. If I reboot my phone and re-connect it to the 4100NEX it works fine temporarily until the next time I connect my phone to the 4100NEX. As far as I know Google is unaware of the problem so I'm hoping they read this forum.

 

[jstew182]

Well this is frustrating. I tried my nephews moto x 2nd gen and his phone worked flawlessly. I went through with factory resetting my phone hoping that'd fix it but it didnt. I hope that it is fixed soon cause I cant find a way to actually contact Google for Android Auto support other than twitter but all the suggested was to add the 4100nex as a trusted device (which I already had.)

 

[Pedrore]

So if the NEX is listed as a trusted device under Smart Lock, doesn't that mean your phone should not be locked when it is paired up?

 

[jstew182]

So if the NEX is listed as a trusted device under Smart Lock, doesn't that mean your phone should not be locked when it is paired up?

The NEX is set as a trusted device which means I don't have to put in my security code but the only way the NEX responds to my voice commands is when I press the power button on my phone. which then lights up my screen to the notification screen, then I have to swipe that away to where it displays the black screen which says android auto...that's when the NEX will finally respond to my voice commands.

 

[johnatthebar]

For me (Nexus 5x and 6P, 2016 Accord) in the last week or so voice commands leave me at the grey screen regardless of anything I try and do on the phone itself. Based on the timing however, I'd suspect it's related.

 

[Uncle Eliot]

IMO Google needs to get this corrected. We should not have to jump through hoops to get AA working the way we expect it to work.

 

[johnatthebar]

The Android team corresponded with me on Twitter about it, so if they didn't know about it yet (and I bet they did), they do now.

https://twitter.com/monorailmedic/status/699341439516479488

 

[anon(187199)]

I have this too on 2016 accord w/ CM13 (marshmallow) I didn't see this on CM12.1, is it a marshmallow thing? Seems like OP and others are running Nexus 6p which most likely is running 6.0.1

 

[John Caporal]

Yeah - I have the same issue. Android Auto Voice control is pretty useless because even if the display sleeps (Android setting and subsequently locks), voice control stops working altogether until I wake it up (which means I have to reach down and grab the phone). The only way voice control works for me for any extended period is to set the sleep time to the max (only 50 minutes) and then, of course, the display remains on.

I would have thought Google would have tested enough to see this as a real safety issue and fixed it accordingly.

What am I missing here?

 

[beesee]

My Nexus 6P was having the same issues with Android Auto with my Pioneer NEX 4100 (starting about 7-10 days ago). When I speak a voice command the microphone icon turns red - but then turns white - and no response is heard.

I discovered for voice commands to work properly my phone HAS to be locked where a PIN is needed to unlock it. I use Android Pay so I have to secure my phone with a PIN anyway.

As long as Smart Lock was being used (I had my Moto 360 as a trusted device) my phone stayed unlocked and would not work with voice commands.

A workaround I found that works for me was to go into my phone's Security settings and turn OFF all Smart Lock functions (trusted devices OFF, trusted places OFF, trusted face OFF, and on-body detection OFF) with the exception of trusted voice. I left trusted voice ON.

Now my voice commands work perfectly with Android Auto - as they did 10 days ago.

For those that want to continue to keep trusted places turned ON in Smart Lock (as I wanted to do so my phone remains unlocked at my house) then voice commands won't work when you first connect your phone to Android Auto at that trusted place (since the phone remains unlocked).

The solution for me is to pick up my phone once I have driven one mile from the trusted place and hit the power button twice - once to turn on the display and once to turn the display back off. That causes my phone to become locked - and voice commands will work once again.

Google really needs to fix this so voice commands work as they did 10 days ago without workarounds!

 

[anon(187199)]

That's good info. I experimented this morning and found that with my normal swipe unlock voice commands do not work, but with a pattern unlock and trusted devices turned off, voice commands do work.

 

[johnatthebar]

So I'd suspect this issue is either related to a) play services b) Google [search] app or c) Android auto app

The only one that I noticed updated recently was the Google app, and I just now got an update so I'll retest soon. Play services would seem more likely but the updates are rather transparent.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[johnatthebar]

Just took a drive with the updates Google app and all worked as it should. Hopefully you all see the same results.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[jstew182]

Just took a drive with the updates Google app and all worked as it should. Hopefully you all see the same results.

Posted via the Android Central App

Hey johnatthebar, this is great to hear! I am not seeing an update to the Google app on my N6P, what version are you on?

 

[John Caporal]

After reading 'beesee's' post - I tried locking the phone once Android Auto connected with the vehicle. Google voice commands started working again without needing to swipe the phone's unlock screen. I also had 'trusted devices' set for my vehicle. I noticed the last time I connected (and thinking back, times before this) to Android Auto with the vehicle - it would auto-magically remove the vehicle as a trusted device - which I found odd. Now I am wondering if this 'feature' is built-in to Android Auto for voice commands to work. And I am also thinking that setting the phone for my vehicle as a 'trusted place' is probably not wise anyway - since if the vehicle were stolen with the phone inside - the perpetrator would have access to the phone's data.

 

[johnatthebar]

Hey johnatthebar, this is great to hear! I am not seeing an update to the Google app on my N6P, what version are you on?

1.3.large (.large??)

 

[jstew182]

1.3.large (.large??)

On the Google App version? It is showing my version number as 5.8.58.19.arm64

 

[johnatthebar]

My error. Accidentally checked the launcher info.

5.9.33.19.arm64

 

[jstew182]

My error. Accidentally checked the launcher info.

5.9.33.19.arm64

Awesome! Thanks...I am side loading from APK Mirror now. Hope it works for me as well.