Google has released the Android for Cars App Library into an open beta, for any developer, giving developers the ability to design, develop, and test navigation, parking or charging apps on Android Auto.
As more manufacturers begin to ship cars with infotainment systems powered by Android Automotive OS, developers have the opportunity to deliver a seamless media experience using Google Play in the car.
If you already have a media app for Android Auto, you can extend the reach by adding support for Android Automotive OS. The process for porting over your apps is simple with most of the work already done, just follow these steps.
Google has divided the open beta release into three phases to help developers every step of the way. For the design phase, the company has released design guidelines and app quality guidelines to ensure that new apps are optimized for the platform and follow the best safety practices.
Once a design has been finalised, developers can then move on to the development phase, where Google has provided a developer guide to make it easier for developers to build their apps for the platform.
Finally, in the testing phase, developers will be able to test their apps on the Android Auto Desktop Head Unit emulator that simulates a car infotainment display.
To further streamline the process, Google has updated the emulator with support for multiple screen sizes, displaying information in the instrument cluster, and simulating vehicles with touchpad input.
Developers can get started with the Android for Cars App Library here.Â
