An experimental dashboard tile suggests Google may be testing Work Profile controls, potentially changing how drivers access company apps.
An Android Auto update contains a hidden Work Mode tile, suggesting Google may be testing controls for employer-managed apps. The experimental feature appears in version 18.0.664204.
Activating the tile displayed a briefcase icon over the app drawer. However, tapping it produced no action, leaving its potential functions uncertain.
Work Profile support could make joining calls between appointments easier. It could also bring more workplace activity into the car, extending office demands into the commute.
Android Auto update points towards Work Profile support
An Android Work Profile separates employer-managed apps from personal apps, rather than simply adding another Gmail account. Briefcase badges identify work apps, while personal apps and data remain outside company management on employee-owned phones.
Currently, that separation creates restrictions for conferencing apps in Android Auto. Microsoft says Teams supports audio calls and meetings through the dashboard, but not when Teams sits inside a managed Work Profile.
Google Meet handles those profiles differently. An active work call can appear on the dashboard, but upcoming meetings and call history from that profile remain unavailable.
As a result, drivers moving between appointments face limits when accessing work meetings through the car display. However, a missing app can also reflect launcher settings, rather than a Work Profile restriction. Connection problems can separately stop Android Auto from working.
Existing controls let users pause work apps
For now, users can pause employer-managed apps through the Work tab in their phone’s app drawer. Supported devices also offer a work tile in Quick Settings. Pausing stops work apps and their notifications without affecting personal apps.
Some Android phones also allow users to schedule work hours through Digital Wellbeing. However, Samsung’s version has lacked this option. Google says scheduling cannot keep work apps paused across consecutive days, such as an entire weekend.
A dashboard switch could potentially offer another way to manage work interruptions while preserving personal calls and navigation. The experimental tile remains a hint of that possibility, rather than a working control.
Even with broader support, Android Auto’s driving restrictions and employers’ app controls would still apply. On company-owned Android devices, IT administrators can also limit how long a Work Profile stays paused. Exceeding that limit may suspend access to personal apps and data.
