staff@slashgear.com (Alex Hevesy)
2024-05-15 13:00:00
www.slashgear.com
On the developer side, Google is introducing tiers for apps that can be developed for an automotive environment. The first tier covers “Car differentiated” apps that are specifically built for automotive hardware and can be integrated into the instrument cluster itself or a plurality of screens across different models. The second tier, “Car optimized” apps, are programs that can be used while driving or parked and cover navigation or streaming apps. The third and final tier “Car ready” apps are used only while parked and are very similar to apps already on Android phones or tablets. These apps don’t have to be car-related.
Google is picking up the infotainment slack and using the interior of a car as a new Android platform altogether. In the near future, you’ll likely see the app ecosystem expand across new models and potentially entire lineups of cars. As of now, Google says “nearly 40” cars already have Android Automotive functionality, and that number is likely to go up.