Tag: android automotive

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Developer turns old Android tablet into an Android Automotive head unit

Old smartphones and tablets can serve a lot of purposes. You can trade them in exchange for credits, use them as a remote control, or even turn them into smart home hubs. On the other hand, you can do something more technical with it, like Esper’s senior technical editor Mishaal Rahman.

Rahman was able to turn an old Galaxy Tab S5e into an Android Automotive head unit with support for Android Auto.

As displayed in a Twitter thread, Rahmaan’s creation runs on the Vanilla version of the Android Automotive (the most basic version of the OS), and can be connected to a phone via USB for Android Auto support. According to Rahmaan, everything works as intended, for the most part. Google Maps intermittently crashed, while location access seems to be wonky too. Rahmaan also isn’t able to complete the profile setup, while the Android Auto Receiver is only working in wired mode.

The weather widget on the home screen seems to be blank, which Rahmaan says is due to it being just a placeholder. And behind the UI is a watermark that reads “Pre-production hardware not for sale,” which, according to Rahmaan, is from Android Auto on the connected phone, not the tablet.

Rahmaan says he’s planning to bring Android Automotive to more devices, and will likely share a generic system image (GSI) that others can use on their old devices to double as a head unit. He also stated that he will share his journey with converting the old Tab S5e into an Android Automotive device in a blog post over on Esper soon, so keep an eye out.

Image credit: @MishaalRahman

Source: @MishaalRahman Via: AndroidPolice

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Mobile Syrup

BMW opts for Android based infotainment

BMW is the latest automaker to select the Android Automotive backbone for its in-car infotainment systems.

Like Volvo and GM, this means that future BMWs will feature an in-car version of Android that provides drivers access to Google Maps, the Play Store and other apps like Spotify right from the centre console. Think of this like regular Android. Google licenses it out, and other companies like Samsung and OnePlus change the look and add a few features. Android Automotive is like that but for cars.

It’s also worth noting that it is different from the Android Auto version that runs off of your phone. That version competes with CarPlay, but the new version is built right into the car, so as long as you’re signed in with your Google account, you don’t even need your phone.

That said, the mobile phone version will likely still be accessible. However, I’ve found that in cars that use Android Automotive, having access to Google Maps and Spotify is enough to keep me from plugging in and using my phone.

BMW plans to start implementing its version of Android with the BMW Operating System 8, that’s set to launch sometime in March 2023, according to The Verge. This all sounds nice, but for now, BMW will continue with its Linux-based system in some cars and will only install the Android software in some new models.

Hopefully, the German automaker sorts this out in a year or two and can settle on one ecosystem. It’s also worth noting that BMW will likely need to figure out a way to work with the new Apple CarPlay that was announced at WWDC 2022.

Overall, it’s exciting to see another major automaker adopt Android, and I can’t wait to see what BMW’s take on Android Automotive looks like.

If you want to learn more about Android Automotive, check out our coverage on the Volvo XC40-Recharge, the PoleStar 2 and the new Cadilac Lyriq.

Image Source: BMW

Source: The Verge 

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Mobile Syrup

Android Automotive 12 is all I want on my dashboard

My biggest gripe with most automakers is that the infotainment software that runs the radio, Bluetooth, navigation and pretty much everything digital is outdated and a few steps behind phones and computers. Google has been on track to change that with Android Automotive, and the latest reference designs are stunning.

To be clear, Android Automotive is a set of software built on top of Android to replace infotainment systems in cars. Android Auto is a phone-based app that can play over your existing infotainment. The draw of Android Automotive means you don’t need to use your phone as much, and the car can just run Android apps and interact with Google Assistant and Maps.

There are only two versions of Android Automotive out in the world. Volvo has a version in the XC40 Recharge, and Polestar has a slightly different version in the Polestar 2. However, both versions are based on Android 10, so they’re still a little dated. Both also use a very Volvo-esque design language, so parts of the software, like changing climate controls, are still done through a menu that looks a little outdated.

The new Android 12-based version of the software has improved support for traditional style controls like sliders, dials and other nudge-based controls. It suggests that Google’s software design might one day cover all of the infotainment, hopefully unifying the in-car software design quite a bit. This new version also seems purpose-built for larger displays with a more tablet-style two-column design within some pages.

It’s still unclear when this will roll out, whether automakers will adopt it and if they’ll cover it with their own software skin like Volvo and Polestar do. However, GM and Ford are planning to use Android Automotive, and Volo will continue to innovate on its take on the software as well.

What’s the most interesting is that Google rolled out the Android Automotive platform over a year ago, and Apple has yet to retaliate with something of its own that moves beyond the capabilities of CarPlay. There are tons of rumours about an Apple car and I expect it to be running proprietary software. However, I can’t see Apple sitting back and letting Google take over the car software space, so I’d expect the Cupertino tech giant to release something similar someday as well.

Source: Mishaal Rahman