Google is working more on the infotainment system in the car. At Google I/O 2023, the company wrapped up a series of improvements to 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, two systems may have a similar (almost identical?) name, but they are actually quite different. Android Auto essentially just projects content from your phone, either wirelessly or wired. It’s Google’s answer to Apple’s CarPlay, and it doesn’t work without your phone. Android Automotive, however, is the version of Android that runs in the car itself, as the car’s main infotainment system. It works whether you have a connected phone or not. Collectively, Google calls the systems 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 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 dropping CarPlay and Android Auto, it’s still the way millions of users integrate with their cars.
For Google I/O 2023, however, Android Auto updates are relatively minor. Earlier this year, Google launched an Android Auto redesign, but now it’s getting support for conferencing apps like Zoom and Microsoft Teams, allowing users to hear audio from meetings and control the call directly from the car’s screen.
Android Automotive
There are much bigger updates for Android Automotive, that is, 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 getting new features aimed at in-car EVs, like the ability to search for charging stations that specifically support your car’s plug type.
In-car entertainment also gets better with Android Automotive. YouTube will now be available as an app for cars in 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 will likely be locked when the car is in motion and allowed to run when the car is parked. GameSnacks, which is currently available on Android Auto and runs small games, is also coming to Android Automotive.
Finally, Google is introducing Google Assistant smart suggestions for Android Automotive cars, allowing drivers to respond to messages quickly and easily.
Generally speaking, Android Automotive is getting more and more features, which is also a good thing. As automotive software becomes more important, many automakers are realizing that they don’t want to be a software company — and so they’re turning to systems like Android Automotive.
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Source: newstars.edu.vn