Google is making a bigger play for the in-car infotainment system. At Google I/O 2023, the company wrapped up a series of improvements to both Android Auto and Android Automotive, allowing those who want Google-based services in their car to get more features and better account integration .
As a reminder, the two systems may have a similar (almost identical?) name, but they are actually quite different. Android Auto basically just casts content from your phone, either over a wireless or wired connection. It’s Google’s answer to Apple’s CarPlay, and it doesn’t work without your phone. Android Automotive, however, is a version of Android that runs in the car itself, as the car’s main infotainment system. It works whether you have a phone connected or not. Collectively, Google refers to the systems as Android for cars, yes, another name.
Here’s a look at what’s new in Android for Cars.
Android Auto
The first is Android Auto, which is what most Android users currently use to integrate their in-car experience with their phone. According to Google, Android Auto will be available in nearly 200 million cars by the end of the year, and while some automakers have announced they’re moving away from offering CarPlay and Android Auto, it’s still like millions of users s ‘integrate with their cars.
However, for Google I/O 2023, Android Auto updates are relatively minor. Earlier this year, Google released an Android Auto redesign, but it’s now getting support for conferencing apps like Zoom and Microsoft Teams, which let users listen to meeting audio and control the call directly from your car screen.
Android Automotive
Much bigger are updates to Android Automotive, or the operating system built directly into cars.
For starters, Waze is finally rolling out to all cars running Android Automotive and will be available through the Play Store on those cars. Waze is also bringing new EV-focused features to cars, such as the ability to search for charging stations that specifically support your car’s plug type.
In-car entertainment with Android Automotive is also getting better. YouTube will now be available as a car app on the Google Play Store. Initially, it will only be available in Polestar cars, but it will come to other cars “soon”, according to Google. YouTube is likely to be closed when the car is in motion and allowed to run when the car is parked. GameSnacks, which is currently available on Android Auto and makes small games, is also coming to Android Automotive.
Finally, Google is rolling out Google Assistant smart suggestions for Android Automotive cars, allowing drivers to quickly and easily respond to messages.
Generally speaking, Android Automotive is getting more and more comprehensive, and that’s a good thing, too. As automotive software becomes more and more important, many automakers are realizing that they don’t want to be software companies, so they’re turning to systems like Android Automotive.
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