For those unaware, Android Automotive is different from Android Auto. The latter is a mobile app that lets you project a customized interface to your car’s dashboard display. It offers big touch targets and gives you access to navigation and music apps. Thanks to Google Assistant support, everything is accessible over voice commands, including calls and messages. As Google says, Android Auto helps you keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel. Android Automotive also does the same job, but it doesn’t require a phone app. The fully spelled-out version of Google’s car platform is an operating system for your car’s dashboard display. It can run apps natively without a phone connection. Safety concerns mean support is limited to navigation and media apps, with the latter only allowed to use a specific interface provided by Google. That’s why Android Automotive supports only 37 apps currently, all of which are listed here. As you can see, Android Automotive already supports Google Maps. However, Google’s other big navigation app Waze is not available despite its availability on Android Auto since July 2017. This has been a major letdown for Waze users and the company is finally fixing it. Google says the Waze Android Automotive experience includes “real-time routing, navigation and alerts, plus settings, preferences and saved places,” all built into the car display.
Waze for Android Automotive will have a limited release initially
As said earlier, the dedicated Waze app for Android Automotive will have a limited release initially. Google announced the app in partnership with Renault and is keeping it exclusive to a couple of EVs (electric vehicles) from the French manufacturer. Namely, the Renault Austral Hybrid and the Renault Megane E-Tech. European users of these two EVs have access to the Waze app on their car’s dashboard display. According to Aron Di Castro, Director of Marketing and Partnerships at Waze, the Android Automotive for the navigation app will come to “more users across the globe” next year. He didn’t share a more precise timeframe, though. Hopefully, the company won’t keep users waiting for it deep into 2023. Once available, users can download the app from the Google Play Store on their car display.
