Android Auto just got more apps: How Google's Genius project is making CarPlay look outdated

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Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution

Phone mirroring software is becoming increasingly popular, with drivers considering these solutions essential equipment in their new cars.

Android Auto and CarPlay took the automotive industry by storm at a time when automakers were failing to invest in their own software. They caved to Google and Apple, and despite efforts to regain control of infotainment, customers had already made their choice.

One of the biggest challenges for Android Auto and CarPlay is to keep up with modern infotainment systems. One way to achieve this is to expand the features and app ecosystem that it supports. The first part requires deeper integration into the vehicle, which can be especially challenging since Android Auto and CarPlay run on mobile devices.

The second phase is now underway, in which Apple and Google are trying to make it easier for developers to bring apps to cars.

Google recently announced its “Car ready mobile apps” program, which aims to open the doors of the Google Play Store wide to Android Auto while at the same time giving users a strong incentive to choose Android Auto over CarPlay, and ultimately Android over the iPhone.

Google explored multiple options to expand the Android Auto and Automotive ecosystem, with the most logical being to provide developers with easier resources to launch apps in the car. But the company ran into a clear roadblock: launching apps in Android Auto required more work and optimization.

That's how Google came up with this new program.

Photo: Florin Profile/autoevolution

The search giant's aim is to introduce new apps to Android Auto and Android Automotive “without any developer work,” primarily targeting categories that were previously partially or completely blocked in the car: video, games, and browser (these categories were already available on Android Automotive but blocked on Android Auto, but with limited developer adoption).

Google's new program aims to bring new apps to cars without requiring any work from developers, meaning apps that are already available in the Google Play Store will get support for Android Auto and Android Automotive without users having to do anything.

Google will manage the entire process, as long as the app meets certain requirements: the company is particularly interested in “apps that are adaptive and suitable for large screens,” and any app that meets these criteria will eventually be launched in the car.

Photo: Florin Profile/autoevolution

Apps are automatically enrolled in the program, but developers have the option to opt out if they don't want their app in cars. We don't expect many app developers to use this setting, as broader availability will help adoption, but it may also mean that automotive development requires more resources in the long run.

Google has announced three quality levels that apps must meet before being released on Android Auto and Android Automotive: Level 1 – Differentiated for Car, Level 2 – Optimized for Car, Level 3 – Ready for Car. Each level has a set of rules, and certain categories can be made available in cars if they meet some or all of the requirements.

For example, a parking app (e.g., a tool that allows users to find parking spaces, navigate to parking spaces, pay for parking, and reserve parking spaces) must meet all Tier 3 requirements before being listed on the Google Play Store.

Photo: Florin Profile/autoevolution

Tier 3 car-ready apps will power the app revolution happening on Android Auto with our new program, which includes checklists for all categories and category-specific requirements.

For example, all apps in the Video, Games and Browser categories must support x86_64 and ARM CPUs and must not display head-up notifications – Google considers these notifications “irrelevant”. They cannot be launched or used while the vehicle is moving, and more surprisingly, they cannot play audio – meaning you can't listen to YouTube content while driving, as the app automatically locks when you start driving.

Google allowing more apps to launch on Android Auto and Android Automotive is great news for users and the future of car-optimized experiences, but support for video, gaming, and browsing is the most notable part of this expansion. However, these apps will only provide the best experience if developed for Tier 1, which comes with more requirements.

Videos, games, and browsers must use fonts that do not exceed 24sp in size and meet certain touch targeting criteria. The font must be rendered in a cutout portion of the display and use the full screen, but still provide a way for the user to interact with the rest of the interface.

Photo: Florin Profile/autoevolution

Google plans to launch its car-ready apps program later this year, but developers can already manually submit apps for review. Once the program launches, Google will automatically review all apps and, if they meet the requirements, release them in the Play Store for Android Auto and Android Automotive.

Apple has yet to respond to Google's new program, as the company seems to be focused on the new generation of CarPlay due to be launched this year. Given that the company's annual developer event has already ended without any major news on CarPlay, Android Auto seems to be taking the lead in the phone mirroring software battle, especially as it unlocks app categories that have long been requested by users. Videos and games could make Android Auto significantly more attractive to users and ultimately help Google achieve its goal of making the car experience a major motivator for choosing Android over iPhone.

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