Logitech looks like its shifting gears on its ZeroTouch in-car mounting service. The car accessory has popped up in the online Google Store (where it costs $60 to $80) under a new name — the Logitech SmartCar Mount for Android Auto. And instead of relying on Logitech's own app, the mount now works with Android Auto. In fact, docking your phone to the SmartCar Mount now automatically launches the hands-free Android Auto interface.
Android Auto became available to any phone running Android 5.0 or later earlier this week, after it was previously limited to in-car infotainment systems. By tapping into Android Auto, Logitech's mount can take advantage of its navigation and entertainment features.
The price of a Logitech SmartCar depends on where in the car you want to use it. The version that clips onto an AC vent costs $60, while the stand that sits on the top of your dashboard goes for $80. Tom's Guide tested the vent-mounted version of the ZeroTouch earlier this year and found it easy to attach and use.
MORE: Android Auto FAQ: Everything You Need to Know
Moving to Android Auto could likely turn out to be a huge upgrade for Logitech's mount. One of our bigger complaints about the version we used centered around inconsistent advice from the ZeroTouch software, including an attempt to route us to a dry cleaners in Hartford, Connecticut, rather than an address in Manhattan. Mistaken routing is the bane of a lot of navigation software, as we experienced when pitting Google Maps against Apple Maps. (Google's service used the context of our current location and Apple's suggested we drive to Washington State to visit Central Park.)
While $60 may sound a lot for a phone mount for your car — this highly-rated best-seller from WizGear is only $8 on Amazon — the native integration with Android Auto may be worth it, especially if you share your car with others. Those who aren't exactly tech savvy may just use a mount to make a phone easier to access and wind up still using their hands to interact with their device, which creates all sorts of potential problems on the road.
