Google has confirmed today that it is working with developers to bring third-party navigation and other apps for Android Auto.
Android Auto is Google’s OS for cars, which brings some Android OS functionalities to vehicles. You can connect your Android phone to experience infotainment powered by your smartphone.
As per an official blog post, a new update is also live for the Android Auto. It brings back Google Calendar integration to Android Auto. With this, users will be able to see their upcoming appointments and get directions or place a call straight from the app itself.
Another addition of this new update is the revamped Settings menu. The Settings app now allows you to change and set Android Auto preferences directly from your in-car display, negating the need to head back to your smartphone.
Google will start pushing the Calendar integration to Android Auto over the next month to devices running Android 6.0 or above. This is one of the features which will be useful for normal users.
Google announced that it is working with partners to bring third-party apps to Android Auto
Meanwhile, Google also clarified that it is working with partners like SpotHero (for parking), Chargepoint (for charging), and Sygic (for navigation) to bring third-party app support to Android Auto.
As of now, Android Auto supports only two types of third-party apps, i.e. media and messaging. This move means that Google is interested in expanding third-party app support to enhance the productivity of the platform.
Moreover, Google is positive that some of the partners will be able to test their third-party APIs by the end of this year. And if everything goes as per plan, Google will release underlying APIs. This will help third-party developers to develop new apps in the same categories.
Talking about numbers, there are over 3000 Play Store apps that support Android Auto. However, there are several tests that ensure that the apps available for Android Auto does not distract the drivers.
Google expects Android Auto to be available in 100 million cars in the coming months
In a report by Engadget, Google also shed some light on the growing need for Android Auto by car manufactures. Android Automotive is under development to bring more apps to the platform.
Polyester 2 is the first car that is going to use this technology. Meanwhile, Volvo, Renault, and General Motors will also join to launch the infotainment system using Google’s Android Automotive system.
The Mountain View giant expects to make Android Auto available in over 100 million cars in the coming months.