Discover what’s new in Google’s latest Android Automotive update

Despite the fact that Android Automotive OS is designed for vehicles, it’s up to date pretty steadily by Google. The truth is, the corporate releases a brand new model of the working system nearly each quarter. The newest model based mostly on Android 15 has simply been launched, and it features a huge enchancment to multi-user help, a brand new strategy to set off Bluetooth pairing, and a few UI updates.

Concurrent Multi-Consumer help in Android Automotive

The primary main change is an early model of a characteristic referred to as Concurrent Multi-Consumer. Concurrent Multi-Consumer is a mode that permits Android Automotive to help two absolutely unbiased customers on the identical time, every with their very own devoted UI expertise. For instance, a passenger within the again seat might launch their very own actions and get full entry to the UI on the show that’s in entrance of them.

Concurrent Multi-Consumer help within the newest model of Android Automotive looks as if a logical extension of the multi-display help that Google launched to the platform with final yr’s Android 14 replace. With Android Automotive in a position to work throughout a number of shows, Concurrent Multi-Consumer help allows every show to primarily act as an unbiased occasion of the OS.

For context, when Google first introduced multi-display help in Android Automotive final yr, it highlighted how the characteristic may very well be used to indicate the identical video on the primary infotainment display in addition to two backseat passenger shows. The corporate additionally teased how passengers would have the ability to assist drivers with navigation from their backseat shows. These demos illustrate that backseat shows have been initially supposed to complement the primary infotainment system — a relationship that may change with the arrival Concurrent Multi-Consumer.

Nevertheless, Concurrent Multi-Consumer isn’t enabled by default within the newest model of Android Automotive. Automobile makers should explicitly flip a flag within the OS earlier than homeowners can use it. This is smart because it ought to solely be enabled in vehicles with backseat shows. Automobile makers can optionally allow a passenger-only expertise the place there’s no driver equal, in addition to an in-car expertise the place every passenger solely has entry to a visitor profile. These two configurations make sense for autonomous taxis, although it appears they’re experimental in the meanwhile.

Google has been engaged on this Concurrent Multi-Consumer characteristic since final yr’s Android 14 launch, although again then the characteristic was marked as experimental and wasn’t allowed on manufacturing items. Provided that Google says the most recent model of Android Automotive solely consists of an “preliminary MVP [Minimum Viable Product]” of the characteristic, although, it’s clear that it nonetheless isn’t achieved but, so I’m unsure if we’ll see any vehicles delivery with it within the close to future.

Media design refresh

The brand new model of Android Automotive additionally brings a UI refresh to the Media app to “exhibit Google’s best-in-class Media expertise and design to OEMs.” Google says this refresh updates the UI of the app in each portrait and panorama orientations. Sadly, the corporate didn’t really share any screenshots of the brand new Media app. The web page documenting Android Automotive’s Media app nonetheless reveals the present model of the app, so I’m not but positive what the brand new model appears like.

What else is new

Google says which you could now set off Bluetooth pairing by urgent and holding the car’s push-to-talk (PTT) button. This can make it simpler to pair Bluetooth gadgets, because you gained’t should sift by the Settings app anymore.

Subsequent, Google says that vehicles with mobile or Wi-Fi areas will have the ability to use the geolocation time zone providers supplied by Google Play Services to replace the time zone. This will likely be useful in case you drive throughout time zones and your automotive’s clock doesn’t mechanically replace.

Lastly, Google says it has up to date the textual content strings for driver help and ADAS-related settings in location privateness settings, and that it has up to date microphone settings to be in keeping with latest modifications made to location and digital camera privateness settings.

You could find the total changelog for the most recent model of Android Automotive, dubbed Android Automotive 24Q4, beneath:

Android Automotive 24Q4 launch particulars

Automobile framework

1. Reminiscence utilization profiling and reporting. Automobile Watchdog reminiscence profiling, which screens and data system-wide reminiscence utilization throughout system occasions.
2. AAOS concurrent multi-user (CMU) help. Preliminary MVP for Concurrent Multi-Consumer.

System UI and core apps

1. Media design refresh. A UI refresh to exhibit Google’s best-in-class Media expertise and design to OEMs. This refresh impacts panorama and portrait references for the Media app.
2. Allow GMS Core Location Time Zone Detection (LTZP) in Automotive. Present geolocation time zone detection to gadgets with mobile or Wi-Fi connections. To study extra, see Location time zone detection.
3. Updates to the Location Privateness Settings UI. Updates driver help and ADAS-related textual content strings.
4. AAOS Settings microphone privateness web page replace. Up to date the microphone Settings to be in keeping with modifications made to Location and Digicam Privateness Settings.

Connectivity

1. Bluetooth. Customers can now set off Bluetooth pairing by touching and holding the car’s push-to-talk (PTT) button.

Should you’re interested by what new options Google launched within the earlier launch of Android Automotive, we’ve additionally acquired an outline of what’s new in Android Automotive 15.