Potential Android Auto 3rd Party App UI Unveiled

Google wants Android to be in everything that has web connectivity and to that effect, the company has unveiled what third party apps might one day look like inside your car. Android for the car will be called Android Auto and the image you see here is what the apps might one day look like in the car, assuming your car supports Android Auto.

Apps that run on Android Auto won't be apps like those that we are used to seeing on our smartphones in that they will not be stand-alone apps specifically written for your car. Android Auto apps will be extensions to normal apps to allow them to run in your car.

Google did the same thing with Android Wear where the apps for Wear aren't complete apps, rather they are used to control what content from an app on your smartphone you can see on the wearable device. Google plans to be strict with Android Auto and won't allow developers to control the overall layout of apps viewed in vehicles.

The only part of the layout that the dev will be able to control is the content, interface text, and devs will be able to choose colors from Google provided options. Buttons will always be in the same place along with screen elements. That is a good thing since it will allow drivers to get used to button placement and perhaps control apps without looking at the screen. Google has to be careful to make the apps safe for use in cars and ensure apps aren't so flashy that they are distracting to drivers.

SOURCE: Android Community