Gemini Breaks Calling on Android and Android Auto

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- Gemini is failing to place calls via voice commands on Android Auto, confirmed by multiple users across separate Reddit threads posted this week
- The calling bug extends beyond Android Auto and is also breaking Gemini's ability to place calls on Android phones themselves, displaying a "Something went wrong. Please try again" error
- The root cause is most likely a recent Gemini or Google app update rather than an Android Auto-specific issue, according to 9to5Google's assessment
- Affected users report that switching back to Google Assistant restores calling functionality, though 9to5Google flags this as only a short-term workaround
- A separate visual glitch has Android Auto intermittently displaying the Assistant icon instead of Gemini's, even when Gemini is processing the response
Why it matters: Voice calling is Gemini's headline Android Auto use case, so a broken call function effectively strips a core utility from drivers who've already transitioned. The fact that reverting to Google Assistant fixes the issue — and that the same error hits standard Android calls — points to Gemini's new calling integration as the likely failure point, not the underlying phone or car software.



