diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/phone/NavigationBarView.java b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/phone/NavigationBarView.java
index 581b611288cee..d7fa5673e87a5 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/phone/NavigationBarView.java
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/phone/NavigationBarView.java
@@ -372,7 +372,10 @@ public class NavigationBarView extends LinearLayout {
         mDisabledFlags = disabledFlags;
 
         final boolean disableHome = ((disabledFlags & View.STATUS_BAR_DISABLE_HOME) != 0);
-        boolean disableRecent = ((disabledFlags & View.STATUS_BAR_DISABLE_RECENT) != 0);
+
+        // Disable recents always in car mode.
+        boolean disableRecent = (
+                mCarMode || (disabledFlags & View.STATUS_BAR_DISABLE_RECENT) != 0);
         final boolean disableBack = ((disabledFlags & View.STATUS_BAR_DISABLE_BACK) != 0)
                 && ((mNavigationIconHints & StatusBarManager.NAVIGATION_HINT_BACK_ALT) == 0);
         final boolean disableSearch = ((disabledFlags & View.STATUS_BAR_DISABLE_SEARCH) != 0);
diff --git a/services/core/java/com/android/server/policy/PhoneWindowManager.java b/services/core/java/com/android/server/policy/PhoneWindowManager.java
index f6f401af1b110..2e81132cebf8a 100644
--- a/services/core/java/com/android/server/policy/PhoneWindowManager.java
+++ b/services/core/java/com/android/server/policy/PhoneWindowManager.java
@@ -7190,10 +7190,6 @@ public class PhoneWindowManager implements WindowManagerPolicy {
             tmpVisibility &= ~PolicyControl.adjustClearableFlags(win, View.SYSTEM_UI_CLEARABLE_FLAGS);
         }
 
-        if (mUiMode == Configuration.UI_MODE_TYPE_CAR) {
-            tmpVisibility |= StatusBarManager.DISABLE_RECENT;
-        }
-
         final int fullscreenVisibility = updateLightStatusBarLw(0 /* vis */,
                 mTopFullscreenOpaqueWindowState, mTopFullscreenOpaqueOrDimmingWindowState);
         final int dockedVisibility = updateLightStatusBarLw(0 /* vis */,