Android Auto Gemini "who do you want to call" bug explained

Some Android Auto users on Pixel and Galaxy phones say the Android Auto Gemini "who do you want to call" bug is blocking hands-free calls and texts this week. Ask Gemini to reach a contact by name, and instead of placing the call, Android Auto loops back with the same question, "Who do you want to call?", even after the name is repeated (9to5Google; SamMobile). Reports have been piling up on Google's Android Auto Help forum since early October, with more surfacing this week, according to 9to5Google. The whole point of a hands-free voice command is keeping your hands on the wheel, and this bug defeats that for both calling and texting.

SamMobile reports that Google's Android Auto team says it's aware of the problem and is actively collecting data from affected users. Neither outlet covering the bug has reported a confirmed cause, and Google hasn't committed to a fix timeline.

The complaints line up with Gemini's wider rollout inside Android Auto, and they're showing up on both Pixel and Galaxy hardware (SamMobile). Timing alone doesn't prove causation. It's also not yet clear which part of the system, Gemini, Google Assistant, or Android Auto itself, is actually responsible, according to Android Authority's reporting.

Why Android Auto keeps asking "who do you want to call?"

In the reported cases, Gemini seems to understand the request just fine. The correct contact name shows up on the Android Auto screen, and the assistant still fails to place the call or send the text, looping back to ask who you want to reach, Android Authority found. That's a different failure than simply mishearing a name; something breaks between recognizing the request and actually carrying it out.

Repeating the contact's name doesn't break the cycle in the reports gathered so far (9to5Google). Calling and texting are both affected. Gemini appears to understand the task but fails to find the contact and complete it, according to SamMobile's reporting, so switching from a call command to a text command, or back, doesn't get drivers around it.

One detail is worth flagging: speaking a phone number out loud has worked in some reported cases where naming a contact does not, per Android Authority. That points to a breakdown somewhere after the spoken request gets recognized, though it's not proof of what's actually broken, and it's described strictly as a workaround for calling. Nothing in the reporting suggests it helps with the texting version of the bug.

A separate, narrower complaint has also surfaced: some users say Android Auto is answering incoming calls automatically without being asked. 9to5Google describes this as a much more isolated report than the calling loop, and the available reporting doesn't tie the two issues together (9to5Google).

What's confirmed about who's affected, and what isn't

The devices named in coverage so far, Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Galaxy S24, Galaxy S25 Ultra, and Galaxy S26, come from forum reports, not a verified or exhaustive list from Google, per Android Authority. 9to5Google reports that the issue isn't isolated to a particular phone model or Android Auto build, so owning a device that isn't named here doesn't rule out hitting the same loop (9to5Google).

Google's Android Auto community specialists are also asking a pointed question of anyone reporting the bug: did this happen with Gemini, or with Google Assistant? That suggests which assistant is actually responsible for the loop remains unresolved in at least some of the cases Google has collected, the outlet reports.

This isn't the first voice-command trouble Android Auto has had this year. Google fixed a bug that blocked users from placing calls back in June, then addressed a separate issue affecting Gemini's ability to answer questions and perform searches last month, according to Android Authority's reporting. Nothing in that reporting ties either earlier fix to the current loop, though the outlet frames all three as part of a frustrating pattern of voice-command reliability issues.

No official cause, affected-device list, or fix has been confirmed as of this week. That leaves drivers working around the problem rather than applying a documented solution.

What to report if Android Auto voice commands are not recognizing contacts

Google's Android Auto community specialists are asking for a specific set of details from anyone hitting this loop, according to Android Authority's reporting. If you run into it, note these details after you've parked, not while you're driving:

• Phone model and Android build number
• Android Auto and Google Play services version numbers
• Vehicle or head unit make and model
• Whether the connection is wired or wireless
• When the issue started and how often it happens
• Whether a recent update preceded the first occurrence
• Whether the assistant involved was Gemini or Google Assistant

Affected users can submit those details through Google's Android Auto Help forum. If you want to try the phone-number workaround, test it when parked rather than mid-drive. It's worked for some drivers trying to place calls, but it's a narrow, unconfirmed fix at best: it doesn't apply to texting, and none of the cited reports identify a Google-confirmed solution of any kind.

The cited reporting doesn't point to a Google-confirmed troubleshooting step that resolves the current loop, so resets, re-pairing, or switching cables aren't backed by any evidence here. 9to5Google expects the issue will eventually get addressed, given how often Google pushes updates to Android Auto and Gemini, but that's the outlet's expectation rather than a Google commitment, and no timeline has been announced (9to5Google).

Until Google confirms a cause, don't lean on voice-based contact calling or texting through Android Auto for anything urgent. Watch Android Auto's release notes for a direct mention of this bug before assuming a future update fixed it; a version bump alone doesn't confirm that. If the loop shows up on your next drive, the most useful move afterward is filing a detailed report with the diagnostics Google is asking for, not chasing a reset that no source has shown to help.