What's new

Use this page to stay up-to-date on what's new with Android Auto and Android Automotive OS.

Library releases

See the Car App Jetpack page for release notes about the Android for Cars App Library.

Samples

Date Type Details
May 22, 2025 New codelab Build and test a parked app for Android Automotive OS: Support audio while driving
May 19, 2025 Codelab update The Build and test a parked app for Android Automotive OS codelab has been updated to be consistent with changes since it was first published and to include additional guidance on meeting driver distraction requirements.
May 17, 2024 New codelab Build and test a parked app for Android Automotive OS

Documentation updates

Date Type Details
June 10, 2025 Content update Addition of Android 16 in the Releases page.
June 6, 2025 Content update Expansion of the guidance from the Ensure there are no distraction-optimized activities section into the new Meet driver distraction requirements section in Add support for Android Automotive OS to your parked app.
May 22, 2025 New document, Content update Games are now supported on Android Auto, and can be published to Internal Testing and Closed Testing tracks for both Android Auto and Android Automotive OS.
May 21, 2025 New document, Content update

Introduction of the Communication category, which encompasses notification-powered messaging experiences (the former "Messaging" category), templated messaging experiences, and calling experiences:

May 21, 2025 Content update Addition of guidance for handling deep links for media and templated apps on Android Automotive OS.
May 21, 2025 Content update Addition of guidance to Support audio while driving for video apps, including the DD-4 quality guideline.
May 21, 2025 New Document Addition of the Build templated media apps page, which explain new templated media app capabilities for Android Auto. This adds more customizable formatting, browsing abilities, and expanded custom actions. The ability to create Templated media apps are available in Beta.
May 21, 2025 New document Addition of the Access Android Automotive OS devices through Firebase Test Lab page.
May 21, 2025 Updated document The Android Automotive OS on Pixel Tablet system image is now generally available.
May 21, 2025 Content update The Weather category is now open. Any developer can publish weather apps to any type of track on the Google Play Store.
May 21, 2025 Content update Many updates to the Car app quality guidelines. See the May 2025 change notes for details.
April 29, 2025 New document Addition of the Releases page, which details the impact of each Android release's API and behavior changes on how apps work on Android Auto and Android Automotive OS.
April 8, 2025 New document, Content update
March 24, 2025 Content update Simplification of <uses-feature> requirements for Android Automotive OS apps. See:
March 14, 2025 Content update Added a new section, Integration with Google apps and services, to describe how you can use intents to build your own apps for use in vehicles that support Android for Cars.
March 7, 2025 Content update Update of the Support navigation intents section of Build a navigation app with details about support for intent formats for handling searches and custom actions.
January 13, 2025 New document, Content update
December 10, 2024 New document, Content update

Introduction of the Weather category:

At this time, any developer can publish weather apps to internal testing, closed testing, and open testing tracks.

December 10, 2024 Content update

Distributing apps to Android Automotive OS devices through the Play Console supports new options:

  • In addition to distribution through the dedicated Android Automotive OS track, some apps can alternatively be distributed to Android Automotive OS devices though the mobile release track. See Choose a track for Android Automotive OS.
  • Depending on the distribution track type used for Android Automotive OS, the restrictions for the android:required attribute for the android.hardware.type.automotive <uses-feature> manifest element have changed for parked apps.

Simplification of existing distribution guidance and addition of more details in Distribute to cars.

November 25, 2024 Content update Addition of guidance in Build media apps for cars for providing metadata about standard icons for custom actions. See Icons for custom actions.
November 13, 2024 Content update
  • The App set ID module is available as a Google Play service for cars with Google built-in.
  • The Thread Network module is available as a Google Play service for cars with Google built-in.
  • The Play Games Services (v2) modules are available as Google Play services for cars with Google built-in.
    • September 4, 2024 Content update Addition of new Android Automotive with Google APIs and Android Automotive with Google Play API 34 emulator images in Test using the Android Automotive OS emulator.
    August 16, 2024 Content update Addition of new Automotive (1408p landscape) and Automotive (1408p landscape) with Google Play hardware profiles in Test using the Android Automotive OS emulator.
    July 29, 2024 Content update Addition of new Automotive Distant Display with Google Play system images and the Automotive Distant Display with Google Play hardware profile in Test using the Android Automotive OS emulator.
    June 11, 2024 Content update Updates for Car App Library version 1.7:
    May 30, 2024 New document Addition of the Test using Android Automotive OS on Pixel Tablet page.
    May 15, 2024 Content update Addition of early access partner self-nomination form to Build messaging apps for Android Auto, Build games for Android Automotive OS, and Build browsers for Android Automotive OS.
    May 15, 2024 New document Addition of the Car ready mobile apps page.
    May 15, 2024 Content update Introduction of the Car quality tiers and reorganization of the existing car quality guidelines into three tiers. See the May 2024 change notes for additional updates.
    May 14, 2024 New documents, Content update Addition of:
    May 10, 2024 New document Addition of this page.
    Apr 26, 2024 Content update Addition of a new section, Read media host hints, to Add Android Automotive OS support to your media app.
    Feb 26, 2024 Content update Addition of the Play Integrity API to the list of Google Play services for cars with Google built-in.
    Feb 20, 2024 Content update Addition of a new section, Use bundled hardware profiles, to Test using the Android Automotive OS emulator.
    Feb 8, 2024 Content update Addition of a new section, Discourage distractions in your settings and sign-in activities, to Add Android Automotive OS support to your media app to clarify the requirement for the settings and sign-in activities of media apps on Android Automotive OS to not be usable while driving.
    Feb 6, 2024 Content update Addition of a new section, Work with window insets and display cutouts, to Build parked apps for Android Automotive OS.
    Jan 31, 2024 Content update Addition of a new section, Custom Browse Actions, to Build media apps for cars. Custom browse actions allow you to provide actions for media items in the browsing view. For example, they make can be used to give users the ability to favorite or download entire playlist.
    Jan 2, 2024 Content update Addition of a two sections, Update your Gradle dependencies and Additional requirements for navigation apps, to Add support for Android Automotive OS to your templated app to clarify:
    • The additional dependency upon the androidx.car.app:app-automotive artifact required for templated apps on Android Automotive OS.
    • The manifest declarations required only for navigation apps.