For the Cars and the Curious: Android Drift

What’s the difference between Android Auto and the OS running your car? One is a phone app, the other controls the vehicle itself.

#1about 2 minutes

The vision for modern automotive software development

Modern cars are defined by safety, entertainment, and adaptability, requiring complex software for sensors, displays, and a holistic user experience.

#2about 3 minutes

Managing complexity in modern in-car HMI systems

Cars feature numerous sensors and displays for different contexts like driving and entertainment, creating a complex, heterogeneous setup that must provide a seamless user experience.

#3about 3 minutes

An overview of the automotive system architecture

The system architecture combines an Autosar platform for vehicle data with an HMI domain controller running a real-time OS for the instrument cluster and Android for infotainment.

#4about 1 minute

Understanding the difference between AAOS and Android Auto

Android Automotive OS (AAOS) is a full operating system running directly on the car's hardware, unlike Android Auto which is a projection app from a smartphone.

#5about 3 minutes

Building an infotainment system with Android Automotive OS

An AAOS build starts with the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), adds a board support package, OEM apps for customization, and can include Google Automotive Services (GAS) for a complete ecosystem.

#6about 3 minutes

A deep dive into the Android Automotive software stack

The AAOS software stack is built on a Linux kernel and includes a Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL), the Android runtime, native libraries, and a framework layer for high-level services.

#7about 3 minutes

Understanding the three categories of AAOS applications

AAOS apps are categorized as default AOSP apps, custom OEM apps built with modern stacks like Kotlin and Compose, and third-party apps from the ecosystem.

#8about 2 minutes

Building third-party apps using the Car App Library

The Car App Library simplifies third-party development by providing a templated approach that handles driver distraction rules and different screen factors automatically.

#9about 2 minutes

Ensuring a consistent user experience with a theming engine

A theming engine provides a toolchain from design tools like Figma to the live product, using design tokens and resource overlays to customize the UI.

#10about 8 minutes

Answering questions on data, security, and development

The Q&A session covers topics such as Google's data collection, third-party app safety, CAN bus communication, development restrictions, and the permission model in AAOS.