Android Auto and Android Automotive are slowly but surely feeling more like Android, and an announcement released at Google’s developer conference that took place this week confirms that this transition is part of the company’s long-term strategy.
Tier 2 represents the category where most apps available on Android Auto and Android Auto already are today. Apps in this tier run on the dashboard display and are optimized for the driving experience. Tier 3 refers to apps built for larger screens and that can work in a car when the vehicle is not in motion, even though they weren’t specifically built for drivers.
The last group is the one opening the doors of Android Auto and Android Automotive to the Google Play ecosystem.
Google says it’s launching a new program called “Car ready mobile apps” that allows applications available in the Play Store to launch in the car. This means that ANY app published in the store can land in the car, even if it wasn’t developed for vehicles.
Google explains that the program was created in collaboration with car manufacturers, and the company will start reviewing apps that are already adaptive and compatible with large screens to see if they can run in the car. Google will do the hardest part of the job, checking every app in the Google Play Store and bringing it to drivers. A mobile app can land in the car if it falls under the Tier 3 rules.
This ambitious program, which could lead to an influx of apps for Android Auto and Android Automotive users, will start in the coming months, but Google says developers can already request an early review to bring their apps to vehicles earlier. However, not all apps will go live on both platforms, as it all depends on platform compatibility.
The first apps to be released for cars with this program are in the video, gaming, and browser categories, but Google says it’ll expand the effort as it conducts the reviews. If we’re lucky, the first apps could land on Android Auto and Android Automotive in the summer.
