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 17, 2024	New codelab	Build and test a parked app for Android Automotive OS

Documentation updates

Date	Type	Details
December 10, 2024	New document, Content update	Introduction of the Weather category: Addition of Weather to the supported app categories. Addition of the Build a weather app page. Addition and updates of car app quality guidelines for weather apps. 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: Documentation for the new `MapWithContentTemplate` Added access details in Access the navigation templates. Added access details in Access the map templates. Moved Draw maps and Let users interact with your map from Build a navigation app to Use the Android for Cars App Library. Addition of deprecation markers for the `PlaceListNavigationTemplate`, `RoutePreviewNavigationTemplate`, and `MapTemplate` and guidance to Migrate to the MapWithContentTemplate. Addition of the `fetchExteriorDimensions` API to Car Hardware APIs.
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: New system images and hardware profiles in Test using the Android Automotive OS emulator. The Test using the configurable emulator page. The Test using the distant display emulator page.
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.