Google wants Android Car in the car safer and easier to use Android. The company has now released documentation for developers that allows them to prepare for the development of cars. Themselves
Android Cars
The Android Automotive Alliance was announced early this year to simplify. Using Android in the car The founding members of the alliance include manufacturers Audi, General Motors (including with Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, GMC, Holden and Opel), Hyundai (and Kia) and Honda. In addition, the end of June, more than 25 car manufacturers announced that it will support and there are a total of 40 partners who support this project. Android Car
On the development android Auto was already a thing known, especially by this session for developers at Google I / O. Much of this information, including limited opportunities for developers, it was confirmed today in new platform documentation.
How does Android Auto
To explain how to develop android Auto works, it is better to first explain how Android works on car itself. Car manufacturers build Android car receiver in their in-car entertainment system. By connecting to the car, an Android device with a USB cable android Auto started.
The Android device running Android Auto-app, the transmitter and the ‘auto’ turns the receiver. The Android application Auto prepares for images, sends them to the car and the car displays them. So the real Android Car runs on the smartphone itself, the car only provides a display and some information about including the car. The smartphone itself is not to be used in the meantime.
Installing Android apps Auto, should be performed on the smartphone itself. This is somewhat comparable to Wear Android, the operating system for smart watches and other wearables. Plus you’ll also install an app that contains a Wear-app on your smartphone. In the case of wear, it is possible to run an app itself Wear can not. At Android Car In the case of Android Auto it is more intended that existing media apps are enhanced with auto functionality. This functionality will work the same as that of wear, so apps will be able to cope with both systems.
Limited possibilities
Developers have absolutely no freedom when developing Android apps Auto. In fact, there are only two types of applications possible, with the appearance of the apps, what colors and icons after all fixed. The first type of applications are messaging apps, and it continues to develop limited to displaying a notification of a message that can be. Responded through speech
The second type of apps are media apps. It is possible to play sound through the speakers of the car. The interface for this is shown below. You might perhaps think of music, podcasts, newsletters and the like. Developers can still customize the background, the logo, colors and actions (in the form of icons) but can not make any further changes
Starting a media app goes through the built-in Android Car launcher. It shows when you are on the headphone icon is pressed, all available media apps. Launcher that you see below. As you can see from the screenshots, most of the navigation is done through lists. These are logical, according to Google, among other things because it easy to use in the car, for example in systems controlled by knobs.
In the screenshots below you can see that it is possible to add to a media app for Android Car a menu. Like the launcher is also the menu from a list.
The reason that the possibilities for making Android Auto applications so limited, is safety. There must be met many conditions for an interface in the car. In different countries, these rules also another different that needs to be done to what exactly are the requirements for research. Those requirements include a minimum font size, but also mandatory minimum contrast ratios are fixed. In the session for developers at Google I / O has been shown to be glance ability , the ability to see. Information at a glance tested
Google has a whole team find out which rules to achieve compliance. Interface all conditions It is interesting that also tested with known occlusion glasses, glasses where only 1.5 seconds to look through it. Then the glass dark and you can not see. This in order to ensure that the interface is suitable for particular in an instant to be able to see everything. Apps will also get a night mode (see below) that start automatically when it is dark enough.
Future extensions
For example, to occur in apps still too distracted, claims protects Google Android car so completely. That is not to say that Android Auto can be used for media apps and to respond to messages. Used in the future During the session, for developers, the question was asked whether we can expect (specifically for navigation) and thereby gave Google to very open to input from developers. Expansions , They want to know what they see use cases for apps in the car.
Google will consider whether it is possible to implement a logical and safe manner. Those suggestions It was once stated that games and video content from the will be angry but we could say that such opportunities could be used for a secondary screen for the passenger or rear, or when a vehicle is parked or added us as for state. It would appear, for example, features that are added to the navigation software (which as yet is regulated via Google Maps) also obvious.
Availability
The first cars with support for Android Car will appear later this year on the market. It seems likely that all cars are equipped with a display also get support within a few years Android Car and competitive system of Apple Carplay. Developer Tools for Android Auto, among others that the apps can be tested in combination with a tablet will appear in the coming months
Source: Android. Developer
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