Google is rolling out Personal Intelligence for Gemini on Android Auto starting Oct. 20. With your permission, Gemini can pull details from your Google apps to answer questions while you drive. It is off until you turn it on, and Google says you can switch it off again in your Gemini settings.

What it can read

Google's announcement says Personal Intelligence connects the Google apps you already use: Workspace, including Gmail and Google Calendar, plus Google Photos, Google Maps, YouTube and Search.

Google describes two strengths. It can retrieve a specific detail from an email, a photo or a saved place, and it can reason across several sources at once.

What you can ask it

Google's examples show what that access means in practice:

  • "What's my flight gate? And is my flight on time?" Gemini answers both in one go, without you hunting for the confirmation email.
  • "Take me to my doctor's appointment," without saying the street address.
  • "Find the car wash from the photo I took last week and navigate there."
  • "Take me to the coffee shop we were talking about yesterday."

Examples like these only work if Gemini can look at the connected apps you allow. That is the trade.

How to keep it off

Google says your apps are not connected until you choose to turn Personal Intelligence on. You can turn it off at any time in your Gemini settings, and TechCrunch reports you can also pick which apps to connect.

Google's post does not give a menu path, only "your Gemini settings". If you already enabled Personal Intelligence in the Gemini app, Google says it comes with you into the car.

If you leave it off, Google says navigation, music, calls and questions still work in the car. The answers just are not tailored to you.

Cars with Google built-in

The feature reaches cars with Google built-in "in the coming months," according to Google. Those cars share personal responses only while you are in the car with your phone connected.

Gemini itself is already available globally on Android Auto and on cars with Google built-in. Not sure which of those your car has? Our guide to Android Auto versus Android Automotive and Google built-in explains how to tell.

Who gets it

Google's footnote says Personal Intelligence is rolling out to eligible personal Google accounts held by people aged 18 and older. It is not available to Workspace business, enterprise or education users. The rollout excludes the European Economic Area, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Nigeria.

For another Google feature that reads your own data, see Gemini's Ask Google Play help and what data it uses.

What is not known

Google has not said when the rollout will reach every eligible account in a region, or which cars with Google built-in get it first. Its post also does not say how long Gemini keeps what it reads.