Android Automotive is making some progress. Polestars and Volvos have been on sale with Google’s in-car operating system for a few years now, and Renaults have recently started equipping the system with Google Apps as well. Other car brands like Ford, BMW, and Volkswagen also want to switch. So the chance of finding Google’s operating system in the car is increasing. That’s why we take a closer look at the operating system in this article. Tweakers was recently able to talk to a number of Volvo developers and executives at the EX30 crossover show about Android Automotive and how this works for car manufacturers.

Before we start talking about Android Automotive, we should clear up some potential confusion, because you might be thinking: “Well, almost every car now has Android Auto, right?” This is true, but this is not the topic of this article. Android Auto is a system like Apple CarPlay that allows you to connect your smartphone wirelessly or wired to the car. For example, you can use apps like Google Maps or Spotify while driving, with the app displayed on the infotainment screen and playing audio through the car’s speakers. You can also use other apps across that screen to set up a different playlist on the go, after which you can swipe back to Maps. As soon as the car loses this link to your smartphone, these apps immediately disappear. A kind of Chromecast in your car.

Where Android Auto is a way to connect your phone to your car, Android Automotive is a complete operating system for the car. Your phone doesn’t necessarily have to be used in the auto department. The operating system takes care of the car’s infotainment system and lets you use apps like Google Maps and the Assistant local Use in the car. You can sign in with your Google account and navigate to popular destinations, but this account is not required. In fact, Android Automotive can be used without Google services, but we’ll get to that later. We will mainly talk about cars with Google services now, since most car manufacturers offer the operating system including Google services.

So the names Android Auto and Android Automotive are similar, but they are two separate things. For example, a vehicle with the Auto Backup feature does not necessarily have to have it; The idea is that you don’t need your smartphone because all of the Android apps are already in the cars. With these cars you can still connect your smartphone via Bluetooth, for example to make phone calls. These Android Automotive cars can support Apple CarPlay. This is how Volvo handles it, for example, by only letting CarPlay use Android Automotive software, so there’s no Auto. With Renault’s app for AAOS, short for Android Automotive Operating System, both CarPlay and Android Auto can be used.