This is my biggest gripe. Whatever magic voodoo ML they use is inconsistent, and it's not clear what level of abstraction this inconsistency is happening in.
What I want is the reliability of Google Assistant's speech to text parsing, combined with a firm, customizable interface. Something like If This Then That, where there are some default commands with a clear reliable command pattern: "send message to George Orwell, we live in your book", and commands can be added.
I use Android these days, but have stopped even attempting to use voice control when driving for all the reasons you've mentioned. It does almost feel like the functionality has gone backwards in recent years.
Or, possibly different tires.
This is an unusual problem - sounds annoying in general!
This isn't great.
Part of the disconnect here is likely how I am understanding "Trusted Bluetooth Device". I likely have to unlock it once while paired with that BT device, while the text says "$DEVICE_NAME unlocks this device when nearby".
1. I have my phone set up to trust bluetooth in my car and unlock my phone. I get in the car and say "okay google, open spotify" -- this is so that it will continue playing what I was listening to before I left work.
"Okay", she says, and then tells me that she can't do that because my screen is locked. Sometimes this works, and sometimes it does not.
2. When I had Google Play Music it reliably would play random sub-par covers of songs rather than the original, even when I specified the artist.
3. Sometimes it decides to rely on screen input instead of audio controls. I can't do that while I'm driving.
4. It sometimes ends voice input too early or does voice input inconsistently. I've sent messages to my wife saying "I'm on my way home exclamation point" instead of "I'm on my way home!"
5. Commands which have worked for months suddenly stop working.
6. Sometimes my screen stays on, forever, after asking to play music. (OnePlus 7T, Android 10). This does not always happen.
7. Google: "Here's your message, send it?" Me: Yes Google: Sits there for a moment and pops up the results for "Yes" in the assistant.
My biggest gripe isn't what it can and can not do. It is the inconsistency that drives me up the wall. I am not a heavy user and most of my requests are because I wish for it to be hands-free in a car with bluetooth audio. I'm sure that this is a harder problem to solve than just me interacting with the phone, but it is a common use case.