There is also an app that can use Android Auto built into the car navigation system on a smartphone. However, this version of the app will not be available for Android 12 or higher. Instead, you can use the Google Assistant driving mode.
Google Assistant driving mode is a feature announced at Google I/O in 2019. A preview version was released in the US at the end of 2020, and providers expanded to Australia, the UK, Ireland, India and Singapore in April 2021.
Google prefers Android 12 and higher driving modes. Android Auto in the vehicle system does not disappear, but when using a smartphone alone, the Android Auto app with Android 12 or higher switches to Google Assistant driving mode.
Some Pixel users already running Android 12 beta will see a notification prompting them to use Google Assistant when Android Auto is running. However, you can still use Android Auto on devices that have installed Android 12 beta. In this regard, in countries where Google Assistant driving mode is not available, Android Auto may be available for the time being. Related information can be found here.