Google Opens Android Automotive OS to Third-Party Media App Developers
Google allows third-party media developers like Spotify to build apps for Android Automotive OS, starting with the Polestar 2 electric vehicle. The company plans to expand this integration beyond entertainment into navigation and other categories soon.
Google opens its Android Automotive operating system to third-party developers to bring music and entertainment apps directly into vehicle infotainment systems. The initiative launches with the Polestar 2, an all-electric vehicle developed by Volvo's standalone electric performance brand. Media app developers such as Spotify and YouTube Music are the first to build these new in-car experiences, with announcements taking place at Google I/O 2019.
Unlike Android Auto, which acts as a secondary interface on top of an existing system, Android Automotive OS is a standalone operating system modeled after the mobile version but modified specifically for cars. The Polestar 2 features this embedded system, complete with native Google services like Google Assistant, Google Maps, and the Google Play Store. These embedded applications now function seamlessly within the vehicle's updated media center.
Google plans to expand this third-party support beyond media apps into categories like navigation in the future. The Polestar 2 is not the only vehicle adopting this technology, as Volvo and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles also plan to integrate similar Android-based infotainment systems into their upcoming cars. Production of the Polestar 2 begins in early 2020, with initial sales targeting China, the United States, Canada, and several European countries.