Google Updates Android Automotive–Google Built-in Adds Developer Tools

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At Google I/O more features of Android Automotive/ Google Built-in cars and developer tools.

Catch up on episodes of of shows on Max and Peacock or play a game of Angry Birds on select cars with Google built-in — which is expanding to car models like the Acura ZDX, Ford Explorer and more.

On Android Auto, the Uber Driver app is now available, allowing drivers to accept rides and deliveries, and get turn-by-turn directions on a bigger screen.

In addition, Google Cast (formerly Chromecast built-in) is coming to cars with Android Automotive OS, starting with Rivian in the coming months. You can easily cast video content from your phone or tablet to the car, opening up even more entertainment options.

For drivers who don’t want to lose their keys—the new Find My Device experience is rolling out globally. Later this month, users will be able to find items like your keys, wallet or luggage in the Find My Device app with Bluetooth tracker tags from Chipolo and Pebblebee. Keep an eye out later this year for additional Bluetooth tags from eufy, Jio, Motorola and more.

Google announced  updates for vehicles compatible with Android Auto and cars with Google built-in to help drivers safely and easily navigate, stay connected and keep themselves entertained — both on and off the road.

Users will be able join important meetings without taking your eyes off the road. Google is working with partners to bring Microsoft Teams, Webex by Cisco and Zoom to the car with easy meeting access by audio from the display.

YouTube is now available for car makers to offer in cars with Google built-in. Select partners, including Polestar and Volvo Cars, have committed to bringing this experience to their cars via over-the-air software updates.

There are now nearly a million gamers per month on GameSnacks for Android Auto, and Goggle is bringing GameSnacks to cars with Google built-in. Drivers will soon have access to popular titles like Beach Buggy Racing 2, Solitaire FRVR and My Talking Tom Friends from publishers like Vector Unit, FRVR and Outfit7 Limited.

Already available on Android Auto, Waze is now rolling out globally on the Google Play Store for all cars with Google built-in — including the first-ever Chevrolet Blazer EV launching this year.  Waze features include real-time reports on traffic and road closures, right on the car display.

Automotive Tiers

Google is  introducing new quality tiers, inspired by those that exist for large screens, to streamline the process of bringing existing apps to cars by highlighting what makes for a great user experience in cars. Here are the tiers and what they encompass:

    • Tier 1: Car differentiated
      This tier represents the best of what’s possible in cars. Apps in this tier are specifically built to work across the variety of hardware in cars and can adapt their experience across driving and parked modes. They provide the best user experience designed for the different screens in the car like the center console, instrument cluster and additional screens – like panoramic displays that we see in many premium vehicles.
    • Tier 2: Car optimized
      Most apps available in cars today fall into this tier and provide a great experience on the car’s center stack display. These apps will have some car-specific engineering to include capabilities that can be used across driving or parked modes, depending on the app’s category.
    • Tier 3: Car ready
      Apps in this tier are large screen compatible and are enabled while the car is parked, with potentially no additional work. While these apps may not have car-specific features, users can experience the app just as they would on any large screen Android device.

To learn more about the quality tiers, see Android app quality for cars.

In collaboration with car manufacturers, Google introduced the Car ready mobile apps program to accelerate bringing mobile apps to cars with no additional work for developers.

As part of this program, Google will proactively review mobile apps that are already adaptive and large screen compatible to ensure safety and compatibility in cars. If the app qualifies, we will automatically opt it in for distribution on cars with Google built-in and make it available in Android Auto, without the need for new development or a new release to be created. This program will start with parked app categories like video, gaming and browsers with plans to expand to other app categories in the future.

The program will roll out in the coming months.

To create high quality experiences in cars, introduced developer tools

    • A new emulator for distant and panoramic displays so developers can visualize and test for the growing sizes and number of screens in the car and make sure apps can adapt to the variety of displays for the best experience.
    • A new tool that addresses the wide range of screen shapes and user interfaces (UI) present in cars. Many new car displays have unique curves, insets and angles that impact the UI, so we have an emulator that lets you change the emulator screen to match OEM screen designs. This will help ensure the apps work well on real cars without needing to set up specific OEM emulators or bringing in real cars for testing.
    • Android Automotive OS system image for Pixel Tablet. This will let you physically interact with app as like a car screen.