The availability of A Better Route Planner, also known as ABRP, is rapidly expanding. After launching on CarPlay earlier this year and Android Auto only a few days ago, the app is now going live on Android Automotive too.
ABRP is an application specifically aimed at EVs, providing drivers with an easy way to plan a route based on compatible charging stations and each car's mileage.
Given that the adoption of Android Automotive is still in the early phases, Polestar 2 will be the first model to offer ABRP to its drivers. And the whole thing would work just as expected, as ABRP will let Polestar owners configure their route and then transfer the navigation to Google Maps, which comes pre-loaded as part of Android Automotive.
“The new app was developed by the creator of ABRP and brings its revered EV route planning capabilities directly into the car. Highly favored by EV drivers, the app allows for specific route planning that takes additional factors into account, in addition to the parameters available from the car itself like state of charge (SOC) and energy consumption. Other factors that influence range, like vehicle load and whether the car is fitted with a roof box or trailer, can also be accounted for,” Polestar announced in a press statement (also embedded below).
The founder of ABRP says the developer portal provided by Polestar allowed the team to work on the app before actually reaching out to the carmaker, thus making the process as seamless as possible.
Indeed, Polestar provides developers with a rich set of tools to bring their apps to Android Automotive, including emulation system images for Android Automotive to test apps before packaging.
ABRP for Polestar 2 doesn’t come pre-loaded with the car but can be installed from the Google Play Store right in the vehicle as long as you own the European or North American version.
Given that the adoption of Android Automotive is still in the early phases, Polestar 2 will be the first model to offer ABRP to its drivers. And the whole thing would work just as expected, as ABRP will let Polestar owners configure their route and then transfer the navigation to Google Maps, which comes pre-loaded as part of Android Automotive.
“The new app was developed by the creator of ABRP and brings its revered EV route planning capabilities directly into the car. Highly favored by EV drivers, the app allows for specific route planning that takes additional factors into account, in addition to the parameters available from the car itself like state of charge (SOC) and energy consumption. Other factors that influence range, like vehicle load and whether the car is fitted with a roof box or trailer, can also be accounted for,” Polestar announced in a press statement (also embedded below).
The founder of ABRP says the developer portal provided by Polestar allowed the team to work on the app before actually reaching out to the carmaker, thus making the process as seamless as possible.
Indeed, Polestar provides developers with a rich set of tools to bring their apps to Android Automotive, including emulation system images for Android Automotive to test apps before packaging.
ABRP for Polestar 2 doesn’t come pre-loaded with the car but can be installed from the Google Play Store right in the vehicle as long as you own the European or North American version.