Android Auto has been updated again, this time with a focus on the continuing evolution of touchscreens in cars.
Google says the new split-screen display will be standard for all Android Auto users, allowing them to access key features like navigation, media player and messaging from a single screen.Previously, split-screen display was only available for owners of certain vehicles.It will now be the default user experience for all Android Auto customers.
“We used to have a different screen mode that was only available in a very limited number of cars,” said Rod Lopez, principal product manager for Android Auto. “Now, no matter what type of display you have, what size, what form factor It’s a very, very exciting update.”
Android Auto will also accommodate any type of touchscreen, no matter its size.Automakers are starting to get creative with the size of infotainment displays, installing everything from large portrait screens to long vertical screens shaped like surfboards.Google says that Android Auto will now seamlessly adapt to all of these varieties.
“We’ve seen some really interesting innovations from the industry with these very large portrait displays coming into these extremely wide landscape displays,” Lopez said.”And you know, the cool thing is that Android Auto will now support all of that and be able to adapt to put all of these features at your fingertips as a user.”
Lopez admits that screens in cars are getting bigger, especially in luxury vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz EQS, its 56-inch-wide Hyperscreen (which is actually three separate screens embedded in a single pane of glass), or the Cadillac Lyriq 33-inch LED infotainment display.He said Google has been working with automakers to make Android Auto better suited to the trend.
“This is part of the new motivation behind the redesign to be able to make our products better for these vehicles with these large portrait displays and large widescreen displays,” Lopez said.”So our approach has been working closely with these OEMs [original equipment manufacturers] to make sure everything is reasonable and efficient.”
As screens get larger, so does the likelihood that drivers will be distracted by the display.A recent study found that drivers who used Apple CarPlay or Android Auto to select music had slower reaction times than those who got excited about marijuana.Google has been working on this problem for years, but they haven’t found a final solution.
Lopez said safety is a “top priority” for the Android Auto product team, prompting them to work closely with OEMs to ensure the experience is fully integrated into the car’s design to minimize distractions.
In addition to accommodating screens of different sizes, Google has rolled out several other updates.Users will soon be able to reply to text messages with standardized replies that can be sent with just one tap.
There are many more entertainment options.Android Automotive, Google’s embedded Android Auto system, will now support Tubi TV and Epix Now streaming services.Android phone owners can cast their content directly to the car screen.
Post time: Jul-27-2022