I just picked up a new 2025 ADX A Spec Platinum Elite with Google On Board. This is my 7th Acura and I am coming from a 2022 TXL A Spec. I should also mention that I am located in Canada. I am somewhat confused about whether to even use Google On Board. I have a Pixel 6 with Android Auto installed and I am at a loss to see what the advantages or disadvantages are of using Google On Board rather than Android Auto. I understand that both systems need access to mobile data. I was told that my ADX has access to 3G of data only through Acura. I read somewhere that I could activate the hotspot on my phone, link the car to it and use it for data for Google On Board. Unless Google On Board has advantages over Android Auto i am inclined to simply ignore it. Any insights on this issue would be appreciated. Thanks

 

I'm not knowledgeable enough to give a good answer to your question, so I've been waiting on someone with more who may know to reply to your question so that I can see what, if any, advantage to using Google Built In. In the US, we have a three-year subscription for Google, so I have time to explore for myself. We have AT&T Mobile Internet for 90 days and I went ahead and purchased a year of service instead of electing to use my iPhone (CarPlay) as a hotspot; I have time to explore the usefulness of Google Built-In.

 

Simple: drivers are the product, advertisers are the customer. Google built in is just good enough so they can tell Acura that using their system will get them more vehicle sales at a lower cost than an inhouse interface team. Both statements are clearly true.

And Android Assistant is just good enough that it is worth connecting it to your account to say "drive to work" or "drive to my 3pm salon appointment".

Then you are now an eyeball they can sell to their customers, regardless of whether you use Android Auto or Google Builtin or even carplay. I dislike how I'm just cattle that google sells to their customers, but it is more convenient to be in their ecosystem so I knowingly put up with it.