Best Android Auto apps for Tesla (navigation, music, more)
You have Android Auto on Tesla running through TaaDa and the Tesla browser, so now the real question is what to put on that screen. Tesla gives you a large, fast display, and the phone in your pocket already holds the apps you use every day. This guide rounds up the best Android Auto apps worth keeping on your Tesla, sorted by what you actually do behind the wheel: navigate, listen, message and charge. Think of it as a shortlist rather than an app store dump. Each category below has its own detailed guide in this silo if you want to go deeper.
Why curate your Android Auto apps for Tesla
Android Auto only exposes a curated set of car-safe categories: navigation, audio, communication and a few specialist tools. That is by design, so the interface stays glanceable and your eyes stay on the road. The good news is that the same curated set of Android Auto apps for Tesla shows up cleanly on the center screen through TaaDa, with large touch targets and voice control. The goal here is not to install everything, but to pick the handful that earn their place on a driving display.
Best navigation apps
Navigation is the number one reason most people add Android Auto to a Tesla, because Tesla’s native map cannot run third-party routing.
- Google Maps: The default choice for most drivers. You get the routing you already trust, live traffic, lane guidance and EV charging stops along the way. If you only keep one navigation app, this is the safe pick.
- Waze: Strongest for community-sourced traffic, police and hazard alerts. Many Tesla owners run Waze on long trips where avoiding slowdowns matters more than anything.
- Coyote: A favorite in markets where it is established, focused on real-time speed and road-hazard alerts. It pairs well with whichever map you use for actual routing.
Many drivers keep two of these and switch depending on the trip. There is no penalty for having both Google Maps and Waze ready to go.
Best music and audio apps
Once the navigation is sorted, audio is the next thing you want on the big screen rather than buried in a browser tab.
- YouTube Music: Your full library and playlists with proper cover art and playback controls on the Tesla screen.
- Deezer: A strong choice in Europe, with offline playlists and steering-wheel friendly controls. Tesla has no native Deezer app, so Android Auto is the clean way to get it.
- Podcasts and audiobooks also belong here. Apps like Pocket Casts and Audible run through the same interface, so spoken-word listening is just as easy as music.
The advantage over a raw browser tab is real: big artwork, reliable controls, and audio routed cleanly through the car speakers.
Best messaging and communication
Messaging is where Android Auto really protects your attention, because everything is voice-first.
- WhatsApp: Read and reply to messages completely hands-free. Incoming messages are read aloud, and you dictate replies with Google Assistant, so you never pick up the phone.
- Standard SMS and calls work the same way, with notifications surfaced as glanceable cards you can answer by voice.
This is the safest way to stay reachable while driving, and it is one of the most underrated reasons to run Android Auto on a Tesla.
Best EV charging apps
Charging is a Tesla-specific concern, and third-party apps cover gaps the native system does not.
- A Better Route Planner: The go-to for serious road trips. It plans charging stops around your real battery, speed and weather, then feeds the route into your navigation.
- Charging-network apps such as Chargemap and PlugShare help you find, filter and review stations beyond the Supercharger network, which matters as soon as you travel off the beaten path.
Together these turn your Tesla screen into a proper trip-planning cockpit, not just a map.
How to choose your shortlist
You do not need all of these at once. A practical starter set looks like this:
- One trusted navigator (usually Google Maps).
- One music app you already pay for.
- WhatsApp for hands-free messages.
- One charging planner if you do longer trips.
Add a second navigator like Waze when traffic matters, and a hazard tool like Coyote if it is popular where you drive. Keep the list short and the screen stays calm.
The beauty of running these through TaaDa is that you are not limited to a Tesla-approved catalog. Any app that supports Android Auto lands on your Tesla screen, with the same controls you already know. Pick the few that fit your driving, install TaaDa, and turn the Tesla display into the Android Auto dashboard it always should have been.