On Tuesday, October 20, 2026, Google confirmed that Personal Intelligence is coming to Android Auto. The Gemini-branded toolset aims to carry the smartphone experience straight to the steering wheel, with a particular focus on features and suggestions that are useful while driving.

That direct line to the assistant opens up access to apps including Gmail, Photos, Maps, Search and Workspace. The more you use Gemini, the more its answers are tailored to your questions, with your own data as the knowledge base.

How Personal Intelligence works on Android Auto

Because it can reach your apps on demand, Personal Intelligence on Android Auto offers a new way to experience the drive. The assistant can, for example, read through your email to surface useful details such as a flight time or a gate number. It can also suggest dinner stops, recommend vegan restaurants and much more.

Another key feature is the ability to pick up where you left off. If you had asked Gemini about a coffee shop, you can bring it back up the next time you get in the car. The assistant is ready to recall the details and build a route in Maps to take you there.

And what about privacy? Google says protecting your personal data remains central, and that you are not required to share anything unless you explicitly opt in. The feature is expected to reach cars with Google built-in over the coming months, and for anyone who has already set it up on their phone, it will switch on automatically inside the infotainment system.

How to turn on Personal Intelligence on your phone

Haven’t set up Gemini’s Personal Intelligence on your Android phone yet? You can do it right now, so you are ready when the toolset expands to the car. Open the Gemini app, tap your profile picture at the top and select Personal Intelligence from the menu.

If the introduction card appears, tap Get started. You then choose which apps to connect, selecting Connect all or Choose apps to pick them one by one. To finish, follow the on-screen instructions and confirm the permissions.

The feature also works on iPhone, inside the official Google Gemini app for iOS. There are a few differences to keep in mind, though. Unlike Android, where Gemini can integrate at the operating-system level, on iPhone its functions are confined to the app itself and to the connected services in Google’s ecosystem. It cannot, therefore, carry out direct actions such as setting alarms or sending text messages.

One caveat: Personal Intelligence is not yet available in Italy or the rest of Europe. The reason is the European Union’s privacy and digital-markets rules — chiefly the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and the DMA (Digital Markets Act). The feature has to analyze and cross-reference sensitive personal data, which is why Google is negotiating with European privacy regulators before releasing it.

Editor’s note

This article was originally published in Italian on money.it by Pasquale Conte on October 21, 2026 as «Google porta l’AI personalizzata in auto. Come funziona Gemini Personal Intelligence?». It has been translated and adapted for an international audience by the Money.it International desk.