Developing Apps for Android Automotive OS

Posted by Madan Ankapura, Product Manager, Android and Oscar Wahltinez, Developer Programs Engineer

Google's vision is to bring a safe and seamless connected experience in every car. You can see that vision at work today with Android Auto, which enables millions of users to bring apps they use on their smartphones into cars. As display technologies evolve and cars become more connected, there are even more opportunities for developers to build for innovative car experiences and reach a new audience.

This is why a few years ago we introduced Android Automotive OS, an Android operating system that is familiar to millions of developers, tailored to run in the car. In just a short time, we have seen increasing demand for Android Automotive OS from vehicle manufacturers. Most recently, Polestar announced that they are shipping their first electric vehicle (Polestar 2) running Android Automotive OS, and this is the first of many to come.

Polestar 2 with Android Automotive OS

Starting with media apps

As the first cars hit the road, we have heard loud and clear from developers, users and OEMs that consuming media like music or podcasts is one of the key use cases while driving. This is why today, we are announcing that media app developers will be able to start creating new entertainment experiences for Android Automotive OS and the Polestar 2, starting at Google I/O.

With a variety of screen sizes, input methods, OEM customizations and regional driver safety guidelines, building embedded apps for cars at scale is a complicated process for developers to do on their own. In order to help manage these complexities, we are building on the same Android Auto framework.

Media app user experience in Android Automotive OS

Beyond media, users require the ability to navigate and communicate with others (via calls, messages). With Android Automotive OS and the Google Play Store, we have plans to enable developers to build apps in these areas and beyond.

If you are interested in learning more, watch our Google I/O 2019 Automotive developer session - How to Build Android Apps for Cars - where we walk through details on how to build your media app using the latest Android Studio, which features an Android Automotive OS emulator and templates.

And if you are one of the developers with a Google I/O ticket this year, please come by our Office hours and app reviews hosted by the Android Automotive team, and run through our Automotive OS codelab.

Test your apps with Android Automotive OS reference unit in Codelabs area

Lastly, we have also established the automotive-developers Google Groups community for developers to discuss Android Automotive OS. For questions better suited for StackOverflow Q&A style, you can post there using the tag android-automotive.

See you at Google I/O 2019!