Google has just introduced developer guidelines for apps which will be powering the 16-year old company’s upcoming in-car software. Known as Android Auto, this particular ride is tipped to be introduced before the year comes to an end, allowing one to interact with Android apps as you drive. The thing is, with Android being a mobile operating system that requires a touchscreen display, how will you interact with Android Auto? The answer is simple, really, as you do so using a touchscreen display which has been integrated into the dashboard of select rides.
Android Auto apps are not standalone apps per se, but rather, smartphone or tablet apps which happen to have an Auto component. This means whenever the apps are installed on a smartphone or tablet, your in-vehicle system is capable of recognizing them, and including such functionality to your Android Auto dashboard. In this manner, you are able to receive notifications, control music playback, as well as rely on voice actions while you are behind the wheel – pretty much similar to Google’s wearable platform, Android Wear.
Perhaps what you see above could very well be what Android Auto looks like, and it is shaping up to be a rather tight and controlled user interface since device manufacturers cannot play around with custom skins, although they can pick from custom colors and each app will feature day and night mode color schemes. All of them, however, will maintain a similar user interface and button layout.
Filed in . Read more about Android Auto and Google.