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What is Android Automotive?
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Software defined vehicle
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Understand AAOS SDV
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Key concepts
Logical architecture
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Configure the Orchestrator
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Time sync
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Control vehicle and power management
Security concepts
Authorization
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VM-level authorization policy
VM identity and attestation
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Mesh status and provisioning
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Update concepts
Service bundle updates
A/B system updates
Update Manager
OEM AB partition updates
Develop SDV services
Quick start: Create and execute SDV service bundles
Vehicle Services IDL (VSIDL)
Overview
Define messages and RPC services
Define service architecture
Generate middleware
Implement business logic
Build and deploy service bundles
Automatic catalog updates and LSP integration
Language specification
SDV VSIDL compatibility guidelines
VSIDL Provider for reflection
Service bundle metadata
Core code samples
Handle suspend and resume
Work with Automotive Services
Overview
Configuration and calibration
Diagnostics
User preferences architecture and implementation guide
Asynchronous Rust
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SDV Core integration
Integration guide
Guest system (VM image) requirements
SDV Core bootloader
APEX signing
SDV Media integration
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SDV Media requirements
Graphics rendering on SDV Media
SDV Media: Manage displays
Use cameras
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SDV on QNX
QVM sample configurations
QVM sample configuration for SDV Core
QVM sample configuration for SDV Media
QVM sample configuration for SDV IVI
VM identity and attestation
SDV bootloader
Android HLOS CDI handover
Configure identity for native services
SOME/IP integration guide
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Write a SOME/IP mapping file
Write a SOME/IP type definition
Implement the SOME/IP stack
Integrate SOME/IP with SDV
Optimize performance
Use the SDV Gateway on IVI
The Generic Kernel Image (GKI) project
Partition layout
Test, debug, and verify performance
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Troubleshoot middleware API failures
Use tracing to gain insights into system performance
SELinux policies for device tests
Detect security violations
SDV system tests
SDV Test Framework library
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API reference
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Configurable Publisher Registry
Metrics configuration generation request JSON format
Cloud Telemetry Simulation
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Deployment guide
User guide
In-vehicle Infotainment
Overview
Guidelines for development
Car service feature control
App compat
Car display compatibility
Audio
Overview
Audio focus
Car audio configuration
Configurable audio policy engine
Audio control HAL
Multi-zone audio routing
Car audio plugin service
Volume management
Connect an input device in AAOS
Microphone input
Audio power management
Manage audio resources during suspend
Audio configuration AAOS flags
Windowing with Scalable UI
Overview
Implement advanced windowing
Consider the app ecosystem
Maximize test compliance with WindowManager invariants
Configure advanced windowing
Configure a panel
Configure a variant
Configure a transition
Configure an event
Configure an action
Implement heads up notification panels
Customize system bars
Integrate Setup Wizard
Camera
Overview
Android Camera Service
Overview
Enable multi-client cameras
Extended View System
Overview
Event and frame notification mechanism
Program camera control parameters
Changes to camera and system configuration
Frame metadata
Automotive display proxy service
Multi-camera support
Vehicle camera HAL
Migrate to Camera2
Overview
Migrate to Camera2
Camera2 API mapping
Car framework core
Car Settings
Overview
Add Car Settings
Rearrange Car Settings
Distraction optimization in Car Settings
Car Settings search indexing
Dual pane customization
Preference subtitles
Customize status bar system icons
Connectivity
Configure internal Ethernet networks
Bluetooth
Per-application network selection (PANS)
Maintain hotspots between driving sessions
Device management for Automotive
Displays and input
Overview
Monitor status
Key input
Instrument Cluster API
OEM custom inputs
Multi-Display Communications API
Automotive Window Layering
Driver distraction
Driver distraction guidelines
Car User Experience Restrictions rules
Consume car driving state and UX restrictions
Flash wear management
Location
Automotive location bypass allowlist policy
Automotive Location Bypass API
Get coarse location
Notifications
Overview
Set up notifications
Heads-up notifications
Notification access and notification listener policy
Throttle and suppress notifications
Performance analysis
Power
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Power policy
Power management
Manage boot time
Garage Mode
Radio
Overview
Broadcast radio HAL
Radio control implementation
Set up remote access
Rotary controller
Overview
Develop apps
Develop apps without the Car UI library
Integration guide for OEMs
Security
Overview
Secure developer options
Enable MACsec for Ethernet features
Debug Restriction Controller integration guide
Use vehicle bound file encryption
Manufacturer guide for long-term Android security
Vehicle system isolation
OTA updates
System UI
Implement the System UI
SystemUIOverlayWindow management system
SystemUIOverlayWindow codelab
Time
Overview
Configure AAOS time sources
Automatic time detection
Time zone options
Location time zone detection
Unbundled apps
Overview
Release notes
Integrate unbundled apps
AOSP host integration guide
Integrate the AOSP host
Media apps with Car App Library
OEM design tokens
Control Center reference app
Overview
Customize the reference app
Technical details
Integrate AppCards
Overview
Create an AppCard
Configure an AppCard host
Try the AppCard codelab
App Lock
Car Messenger
Car UI library
Overview
Integrate the Car UI library into apps
Customize apps
Car UI plugins
List of packages containing car-ui-lib
Add custom fonts
Customize Car UI preferences
Customize the toolbar with runtime resource overlays
Customization options for CarUiListItem
Customize CarUiRecyclerView
Car UI library release notes
Appendix A, work with RROs
Appendix B, customization
Appendix C, minimum compatible version for Car UI Plugin API
Dashcam
Dialer
Overview
Technical details
Customization guidelines
Global configurable values
Toolbar
Debug and test
Media
Overview
System components and user flows
Implement radio with Media
Customize media
Implement a media card
Integrate deep links to Media apps
Users and accounts
Multi-user support
Foreground and background user system handling
Manage users and accounts
Remove packages for the system user
User HAL properties
Vehicle hardware abstraction layer (VHAL)
Overview
VHAL interface
Property configurations
Supported system properties
Special properties
SEAT and STEERING_WHEEL properties
ADAS vehicle properties
Reference implementation
Debug VHAL
Use VHAL with the native client
HIDL VHAL
HIDL VHAL migration guide
HIDL VHAL interface
Virtualization
Overview
Architecture
Tools
Reference platform
Voice
Voice assistant Tap-to-Read
OEM custom inputs
Voice interaction integration guide
About voice interaction
Integration flows
App development
Fulfill commands
Test and debug
Watchdog
Overview
Monitor flash memory usage
Collect performance data
Monitor system health
Development tools
Overview
Android Virtual Device
Android Virtual Device as a development platform
Build your own cloud emulator
Extend VHAL property descriptions in the emulator
Emulator USB passthrough integration guide
USB Port Reset API
Pixel devices as development platforms
System performance tools
Testing tools and infrastructure
Overview
System performance tools
User interface frameworks
Network simulation
Complete Automotive Tests in a Box (CATBox)
Enable fuzzers
Spectatio
Torq
Release details
Overview
Android Automotive 26Q2
Android Automotive 25Q4
Android Automotive 25Q2
Android Automotive 25Q1
Android Automotive 24Q4
Android Automotive 15
Android Automotive 14 QPR1
Android Automotive 14
Android Automotive 13 QPR3
Android Automotive 13 QPR2
Android Automotive 13 QPR1
Android Automotive 13
Android Automotive 12L
Android Automotive 12 QPR3
Android Automotive 11
Unbundled apps
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Effective in 2026, to align with our trunk stable development model and ensure platform stability for the ecosystem, we will publish source code to AOSP in Q2 and Q4. For building and contributing to AOSP, use android-latest-release. The android-latest-release manifest branch will always reference the most recent release pushed to AOSP. For more information, see Changes to AOSP.
AOSP
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Automotive
Terminology
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Android Automotive uses the following terms and acronyms.
Android application package (APK)
The archive (package) file format used by the Android operating system to distribute
apps.
Android Auto
Smartphone projection developed by Google to allow mobile devices running Android 5 or higher
to project apps into the car.
Android Automotive
Embedded operating system and platform on which to develop automotive apps.
Android Open Source Project (AOSP)
Repository for the Android software stack. Led by Google, the AOSP repository offers the
information and source code for creating custom variants of the Android stack, porting devices
and accessories to the Android platform, and ensure Android devices meet compatibility
requirements.
Application programming interface (API)
Set of protocols that enable users to programmatically access tools and services and
create software apps.
Audio video bridging over ethernet (ethernet AVB)
Set of extensions to the core IEEE 802.1 standards that provide time-synchronized low-latency
streaming services.
Automotive safety integrity level (ASIL)
Risk classification scheme defined by the ISO
26262
(Functional Safety for Road Vehicles) standard.
Automotive test suite (ATS)
Test suite designed for verifying Android Automotive implementations work as expected. For
example, ATS tests might exercise Car Manager APIs to verify vehicle HVAC integration.
Board support package (BSP)
SoC-specific firmware for a device.
Controller area network (CAN)
Vehicle bus standard that allows microcontrollers and devices to communicate with each other.
Compatibility definition document (CDD)
Document that enumerates the software and hardware requirements of a compatible Android device.
For details, refer to Android Compatibility.
Compatibility test suite (CTS)
Suite of tests to establish compatibility with the upstream Android Platform. For details,
refer to Compatibility Test Suite.
Critical user journey (CUJ)
The path users take to achieve a critical (important) goal.
Digital audio broadcasting (DAB) and Terrestrial-DAB (T-DAB)
Audio broadcasting in which analog audio is converted into a digital signal and transmitted on
an assigned channel in the AM or (more usually) FM frequency range.
Digital rights management (DRM)
System for protecting the copyrights of data circulated on the Internet or other digital media
by enabling secure distribution and/or disabling illegal distribution of the data.
Digital signal processor (DSP)
Specialized microprocessor (or a SIP block), with architecture optimized for the operational
needs of digital signal processing. Designed to measure, filter, and/or compress continuous
real-world analog signals.
Driver-distraction (DD)
Driving while engaged in activities that take the driver's attention away from the road.
Firmware over the air (FOTA)
Firmware over the air refers to wireless firmware updates for embedded systems.
Google Automotive Services (GAS)
Google Mobile Services (GMS) for automotive implementations. Provides a set of Google services
and apps that can be integrated into Android Automotive devices.
Hardware abstraction layer (HAL)
Software layer that all other higher level modules must interact with to access hardware
functionality. Only the HAL can directly call the device drivers for the various hardware
components on the device.
Head unit (HU)
Computing unit that powers the main display in the vehicle center console.
Heat, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC)
Set of mechanical infrastructure functions designed to maintain a specific operating
environment. HVAC systems perform activities such as warming homes, cooling data centers,
and controlling fan speed in vehicles.
Integrated head unit (IHU)
The computing unit that powers the main display in the vehicle center console.
In-vehicle infotainment (IVI)
Set of vehicle hardware and software functions that provide audio and/or video entertainment.
Often used synonymously with Head Unit (HU) when describing the user-facing functionality of an
Android Automotive device.
Key performance indicators (KPI)
Business metrics for evaluating factors crucial to the success of an organization.
Local interconnect network (LIN)
Serial network protocol used for communication between components in vehicles.
Original equipment manufacturer (OEM)
Automaker (or suppliers) who create integrated IVI software for vehicles.
Real-time operating system (RTOS)
OS for real-time apps that process data on receipt with minimal or no buffering delays.
Processing time requirements (including OS delays) are measured in tenths of seconds or shorter
increments of time.
Service-level agreements (SLAs)
Service contract between two parties that defines an agreement about the provided service in
measurable terms such as performance, availability, reliability, etc.
System on chip (SoC)
Integrated circuit that integrates all components of a computer or other electronic system
into a single chip.
Telematic control unit (TCU)
Telematic control unit refers to a module in a vehicle responsible for off-board peripherals
such as wireless cards or SIM module.
Trusted execution environment (TEE)
Environment created by a small OS that runs beneath the regular kernel and is supported by
special hardware. This OS can run special apps that are kept safe from each other and from the
regular OS and programs (even when the regular OS is controlling the regular hardware). It can
access cryptographic credentials in hardware to let specific programs prove their identity, either
over the network or to secure storage hardware.
Vehicle HAL
Interface that defines the properties OEMs can implement and contains property metadata (for
example, whether the property is an int and which change modes are allowed).
Vehicle mapping service (VMS)
In-vehicle data exchange service supporting advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Enables
the sharing of road and navigation data with other vehicle systems, allowing many vehicle
components and systems to behave more intelligently as they gain awareness of the road around
them.
Vehicle network service (VNS)
Controls vehicle HAL with built-in security. Access restricted to system components only
(non-system components such as third party apps should use car API instead).
Park, reverse, neutral, drive and low (PRNDL)
Gears available in most vehicles.
Content and code samples on this page are subject to the licenses described in the Content License. Java and OpenJDK are trademarks or registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates.
Last updated 2026-06-17 UTC.
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