Android 15 brings big upgrades to cars running Android Automotive

While the majority of changes in new Android releases are targeted at mobile devices, there are also many changes that aren’t targeted at phones or tablets at all. After all, the Android operating system also supports watches, TVs, and cars. A special version of Android designed for cars, called Android Automotive OS (AAOS), follows an annual release cycle, similar to Android for mobile devices. Google has not yet made an official announcement about Android Automotive 15, the latest version of AAOS based on Android 15, but the company has shared detailed release notes that reveal the new features and changes brought by the update. are. This is what it is about.

Streaming to a Bluetooth headset

First, with Android Automotive 15, you can finally stream audio from your car to your Bluetooth headset. Google says you can now use wireless headphones as an audio output device with the following steps: Audio settings > Audio output device Next, specify your headphones as the output device. However, you cannot stream audio from your phone to your car via Bluetooth if you choose to do so. This is because the operating system supports only one active media or audio stream at a time over Bluetooth. The car can act as a source or sink.

You might think it odd that Android Automotive just added support for streaming audio to Bluetooth headphones, but Google actually had to redo quite a bit of Android’s Bluetooth stack to make this possible. did. In previous releases, Android’s Bluetooth stack only allowed a device to act as a source or sink, but you had to stick to one or the other. Android now supports devices that perform both roles, but does not support devices that actually perform both roles at the same time. Either way, this new feature will allow passengers to hear something privately while the driver concentrates on the road. This may be useful for parents who want to keep their children entertained.

App dock and ambient view

The next big change in Android Automotive 15 for cars is the addition of a dock that allows users to pin their favorite apps to the bottom for quick launch. I don’t have a screenshot of this dock because Google hasn’t shared an emulator image for Android Automotive 15 yet, but I believe you can long-press an app in the app drawer to pin it to the dock. .

Next, Google added support for ambient views in Android Automotive 15. This allows automakers to create a “differentiated experience” when the head unit screen is on but not in use, the company says. Android Automotive 15’s Ambient View may be similar to Google TV’s Ambient Mode, which is basically a screensaver that displays the time and current weather conditions. Automakers can customize it, so they may apply their own branding to the screensaver and display additional information when the head unit is idle.

What else does Android Automotive 15 add?

Additionally, Android Automotive 15 also allows you to maintain your hotspot between driving sessions. Google calls this feature “Wi-Fi Hotspot Persistence,” and it’s controlled by a toggle somewhere in AAOS’ Settings app. This feature is useful for people who frequently enable the hotspot provided by their car.

The last big change I’d like to highlight is improved wireless support. Google says Android Automotive 15 fully supports HD and DAB wireless standards, allowing automakers to integrate wireless functionality.

There are other changes listed in the Android Automotive 15 release notes, but most of them focus on core platform changes that are only relevant to AAOS platform developers. As mentioned at the beginning, most of the changes in Android 15 are targeted at mobile devices, as they make up a large portion of Android’s installed base. Additionally, there are inherent safety concerns in creating software that drivers interact with, so Google needs to be more restrained when developing new features for Android Automotive. Still, there’s a lot for Android Automotive users to look forward to, including the Android 15 update as well as the number of in-car apps available on the Google Play Store.