autoevolution
 

Android Auto Officially Ready for an Avalanche of Navigation and Parking Apps

Back in the summer of 2020, Google released one of the most significant Android Auto announcements in a long time: the platform would finally be opened up, thus allowing third-party developers to bring their navigation, parking, and charging solutions to drivers across the world.
Some of the apps joining the Android Auto ecosystem 1 photo
Photo: Google
Since then, however, the search giant has been working on getting the whole thing ready, and after allowing devs to publish betas of their software, another big announcement landed this week.

Android Auto is finally ready for third-party apps, and developers can publish directly to production, with no need for a beta version.

Google has all the technical requirements in this post right here, but some app makers have been quite in a rush to join the Android Auto frenzy as we told you already.

Sygic is one of them, as it has become the first company to offer a third-party Google Maps alternative on Android Auto. Its very own navigation solution is now available with Android Auto support as part of the aforementioned Google program, and the rollout is now happening gradually across the world.

On the other hand, Sygic isn’t the only company committed to Android Auto, as several other high-profile developers have already announced plans to get their apps ready for the car experience.

For example, Chargepoint, PlugShare, AmiGO, and T Map are all projected to release production versions of their apps with built-in Android Auto support in the coming weeks and months.

While this is quite a good reason to stick with Android Auto and not make the switch to CarPlay, if possible, it's worth knowing that Apple has also paved the way for a similar change for its own car-optimized experience.

The release of iOS 14 last fall also prepares the platform for third-party apps, focusing on pretty much the same categories, including EV-related solutions. Several developers have already released CarPlay versions of their apps, and more are likely to follow in the near future.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Bogdan Popa
Bogdan Popa profile photo

Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories