Android Automotive Apps

stevelup · Aug 17, 2020

Hi Folks,

I thought I'd track the availability of apps for the Polestar 2. I'll keep this updated.

Title	First Seen	Version	Updated
ARD Audiothek	02/08/20	1.0.1-automotive	04/08/20
Audioburst - AAOS	12/07/20	0.9.27	02/06/20
Castbox	12/07/20	1.0.0-200320447	20/03/20
Google Assistant	06/08/20	11.9.8.release.auto	30/06/20
Google Maps	12/07/20	10.45.20.E	23/07/20
Google Play Books	12/07/20	5.9.11_RC07.312683304.car_production	26/05/20
KISS KUBE	02/08/20	1.0.77.5	07/05/20
Libby	12/07/20	1.1.1	17/06/20
Magic Radio	02/08/20	1.0.77.5	14/05/20
myCANAL	12/07/20	0.3.9	11/06/20
NPR One	12/07/20	1.0.0	19/03/20
NRK Radio	12/07/20	1.1-automotive	15/06/20
Pocket Casts	12/07/20	7.10.0a	23/07/20
Radio France	12/07/20	1.1.1-automotive	12/05/20
radio.net	12/07/20	automotive-1.0.1.0	05/04/20
Radioline	12/07/20	1.0.6	14/05/20
Spotify	12/07/20	4.1.2.1334	23/07/20
Sveriges Radio	12/07/20	???	02/07/20
UK Radioplayer	02/08/20	1.0.96.0	07/05/20
YouTube Music	12/07/20	3.70.20-CAR_RELEASE	05/08/20

Apps that have been updated since I first discovered them, have the updated field in bold.

Apps that have been added to the system since it was first launched have the title in bold.

System component updates

Description	Version	Date
Android System WebView	84.0.4147.125	29/07/2020

polerad · Aug 17, 2020

Thanks @stevelup !

Looks like you've poked around the Android Automotive API quite a bit.

One thread over, to meet the needs of the audiophiles, I wondered if an app could be made to download a music archive from cloud storage, store it locally, and play it on the media player in full uncompressed glory.

Does that seem doable to you?

Lowrent · Aug 17, 2020

I have notified a colleague, project manager of our music app, about the upcoming Android Automotive OS.
Coders will adapt our Android Auto app to Automotive.
I'll let you know how easy/difficult it was.

stevelup · Aug 17, 2020

polerad said:
I wondered if an app could be made to download a music archive from cloud storage, store it locally, and play it on the media player in full uncompressed glory.

No technical reason why not, no. That said, I found the audio quality over Bluetooth from my phone to be exceptional. Not sure what codec is being used, but it's one of the better ones.

I remain unconvinced that anyone can actually tell the difference between lossless and a 320kbps MP3 or 256kbps AAC file in a car environment anyway!

polerad · Aug 17, 2020

stevelup said:
I remain unconvinced that anyone can actually tell the difference between lossless and a 320kbps MP3 or 256kbps AAC file in a car environment anyway!

I agree with you and will let the audiophiles in the forum take it up to correct us

Though I do see a use case in case we're going out for a long drive off-the-grid or otherwise with spotty cell signal, would be great to pre-download a set of music without having to use our phones as intermediaries.

Lowrent · Aug 17, 2020

It's not just an audio quality reason. I want to be able to start playing my music with my hands on the wheel (via google assistant or steering wheel controls).
If I have to resort to play files on my phone over bluetooth, i'll have to pick my phone to make a selection. I hate that.

PistonCrack · Aug 17, 2020

stevelup said:
Hi Folks,

I thought I'd track the availability of apps for the Polestar 2. I'll keep this updated.

Title First Seen Version Updated
ARD Audiothek 02/08/20 1.0.1-automotive 04/08/20
Audioburst - AAOS 12/07/20 0.9.27 02/06/20
Castbox 12/07/20 1.0.0-200320447 20/03/20
Google Assistant 06/08/20 11.9.8.release.auto 30/06/20
Google Maps 12/07/20 10.45.20.E 23/07/20
Google Play Books 12/07/20 5.9.11_RC07.312683304.car_production 26/05/20
KISS KUBE 02/08/20 1.0.77.5 07/05/20
Libby 12/07/20 1.1.1 17/06/20
Magic Radio 02/08/20 1.0.77.5 14/05/20
myCANAL 12/07/20 0.3.9 11/06/20
NPR One 12/07/20 1.0.0 19/03/20
NRK Radio 12/07/20 1.1-automotive 15/06/20
Pocket Casts 12/07/20 7.10.0a 23/07/20
Radio France 12/07/20 1.1.1-automotive 12/05/20
radio.net 12/07/20 automotive-1.0.1.0 05/04/20
Radioline 12/07/20 1.0.6 14/05/20
Spotify 12/07/20 4.1.2.1334 23/07/20
Sveriges Radio 12/07/20 ??? 02/07/20
UK Radioplayer 02/08/20 1.0.96.0 07/05/20
YouTube Music 12/07/20 3.70.20-CAR_RELEASE 05/08/20

Apps that have been updated since I first discovered them, have the updated field in bold.

Apps that have been added to the system since it was first launched have the title in bold.

System component updates

Description Version Date
Android System WebView 84.0.4147.125 29/07/2020

Hi,
Is this list an estimate or is it practically confirmed so that I can upload the APPs once I am sitting in my Polestar (hopefully ) in about 2 or 3 weeks?

stevelup · Aug 17, 2020

It's live - from the emulator. I check it every few days and keep it updated.

I can't think of any reason why it would be different in the actual car - it's the same Play store.

Lowrent · Aug 17, 2020

stevelup said:
I can't think of any reason why it would be different in the actual car - it's the same Play store.

Potential regional lock

stevelup · Aug 17, 2020

I'd say that is extremely unlikely.

PistonCrack · Aug 17, 2020

Lowrent said:
Potential regional lock

It is a mix of APPs in different languages. It looks like a list of everything available up to know. With the open source technology we can expect thausands of APPs in a while. Then we will have the burdon of finding the right one

... better than anything else in the market.

ProfessorCook · Aug 17, 2020

I've gotten use to Waze over the last couple of years. 'Hope that's one that finds its way to the car.

hitchhiker · Aug 18, 2020

ProfessorCook said:
I've gotten use to Waze over the last couple of years. 'Hope that's one that finds its way to the car.

What would be fantastic is if we can have Waze on the gauge cluster display some day, with the report features on the touch screen.

ETA: After hearing these comments, it sounds like it may not be possible, or at least not without some collaboration with the OEM. One can dream.

polerad · Aug 18, 2020

hitchhiker said:
What would be fantastic is if we can have Waze on the gauge cluster display some day, with the report features on the touch screen.

ETA: After hearing these comments, it sounds like it may not be possible, or at least not without some collaboration with the OEM. One can dream.

1. Doesn't Google own Waze? Why do they keep Google Maps and Waze separated?

2. I'm just glad we're getting a driver display. I mean, I know it's totally unnecessary yesteryear technology that I'm just too old (I'm not even 40 yet) and close/little-minded to understand that I really don't need one. But I'm glad a dash display (+ physical controls for wipers, mechanical door handles, etc) is included nonetheless.

hitchhiker · Aug 18, 2020

polerad said:
1. Doesn't Google own Waze? Why do they keep Google Maps and Waze separated?

2. I'm just glad we're getting a driver display. I mean, I know it's totally unnecessary yesteryear technology that I'm just too old (I'm not even 40 yet) and close/little-minded to understand that I really don't need one. But I'm glad a dash display (+ physical controls for wipers, mechanical door handles, etc) is included nonetheless.

They didn't originally own Waze, but they did acquire it and have since brought some of its features into Google maps. My guess is the apps remain separate as they target different audiences. It would be fantastic to have Waze in the gauge cluster, but I'm excited enough just to have a fully OEM integrated Android OS on the dash.

Coming from the Model 3, I haven't missed the driver display too much. I'd still rather have it, if only to save the real estate on the main screen, plus the more tech toys the better! Big yes to the door handles and wiper controls, though. I'm sick of explaining the doors to people and the lack of a proper wiper control is especially dangerous.

hedwri · Aug 18, 2020

ProfessorCook said:
I've gotten use to Waze over the last couple of years. 'Hope that's one that finds its way to the car.

Me too. But will Waze display charge at destination and en-route charging availability in the way that Google maps does in the Polestar 2? I’m assuming not.

skwark · Aug 18, 2020

Waze does not yet support EVs (no electric "fuel" choice or basic range or charge point support), but I did read Google had road-mapped it for Automotive so it will appear eventually I'm sure. I would assume (like my current car) that the cluster navigation view would simply stop plotting a route and you'd need to look at the centre console for navigation cues (in addition to audio). There are others like Sygic who may actually get there first and already offer better EV support and navigation tools. Android Automotive supports APIs that apps can use to read vehicle status inc battery charge etc so no reason why (over time) we won't see a broad choice of navigation options that offer similar to what Google Maps already does. The only real issue we have as early adopters is so few cars around currently to warrant most developers investing in developing for it, unfortunately, unless Google incentivises them to do so (which no doubt they did for Spotify).

NB. CarPlay also has an instrument cluster (HUD) support even if no one has yet taken it up, so that would be awesome if they added that as another market first to generate more PR etc.

JRRF · Aug 19, 2020

stevelup said:
No technical reason why not, no. That said, I found the audio quality over Bluetooth from my phone to be exceptional. Not sure what codec is being used, but it's one of the better ones.

I remain unconvinced that anyone can actually tell the difference between lossless and a 320kbps MP3 or 256kbps AAC file in a car environment anyway!

Agree completely that a car environment is a poor place to evaluate fidelity. Many people just want louder or more bass as those are things that easily become apparent. XM is another story though. They run at no more than 64 kbps and I find even FM to be far superior in a moving car.

Ivan1 · Sep 3, 2020

Google launches support page for using Assistant, Maps, & Play on Android Automotive

Following Android Automotive's launch with the Polestar 2, Google recently released a support page for owners of the car. It specifically focuses on...

9to5google.com

misterspam · Sep 3, 2020

Ivan1 said:
Google launches support page for using Assistant, Maps, & Play on Android Automotive

Following Android Automotive's launch with the Polestar 2, Google recently released a support page for owners of the car. It specifically focuses on...

9to5google.com

The comment about the maps and integrating battery level / alerts into maps is cool. What would be even cooler is if you could plan a route on Maps on your phone/PC and it pull the battery information from the car.

Android Automotive Apps

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