Is Google really serious about Android Auto?

[anon(871934)]

I wanted to also add that Android Auto is 100x better than the car's infotainment center, but it still needs work. I pointed out some things I've noticed to prove that it is not a finished product, but Google seems to be sitting on it.

If they have something they're working on with it, I really wish they would say something.

Of course it's not a finished product. It's a first generation product that's only been in the market for 15 months.

That's like saying Android cupcake wasn't a finished product in 2010.

 

[Cant Miss]

Bull****. Waze is coming. That in and of itself disproves your theory. Truth is Google is not blocking developers from developing their apps.

To be clear, devs only have access to APIs Google makes public. So far, that just provides hooks for media playback and messaging, so Devs are currently unable to develop anything else. I have been in contact with both Dash and Glympse, both of which have told me they would be all over Android Auto if and when Google publishes APIs for something other than media and messages.

 

[ireknole]

Of course it's not a finished product. It's a first generation product that's only been in the market for 15 months.

That's like saying Android cupcake wasn't a finished product in 2010.

I know, I just felt the need to put that out there since the person who answered me had a rebuttal for every problem I mentioned.

 

[Andrew DeFaria]

Waze is from Google. I would like to use Sygic and on their forums, one of the developers clearly states that they do not get access to the resources they need to develop an Android Auto app. Even after a couple of requests from their side, Google does not allow other developers to develop navigation apps at the moment.

This is demonstrably false as, for example, BeyondPod, which is definitely not Google, works with AA. As does Audible and I hear (because I don't use) other apps like Spotify, IHeartRadio, Stitcher, etc. all work with AA.

I also want to run my iCoyote app that allows me to detect police radars but if I connect my phone to Android Auto, I cannot boot the app anymore. I have to boot the app, connect my phone to Android Auto and then try to put the app over the Android-auto screen on my phone by using the quick settings menu. If only Google would allow them to run on Android auto that would fix my problem.

I sense a pattern here and that is that AA has opened up the Media apps but not the Navigation apps.

So whatever apps I want to run, they should not limit anything. If I crash my car into a bridge because I was busy on Android Auto, I am the one responsible, not Google.

While I agree with you, I'm sure a smart lawyer would find a way to blame Google and go after the deep pockets. As such I can see Google rightfully not wanting to get involved. Look, don't use AA - put your phone up on the dashboard and use that! Or better yet, get an iPad and mount it to your windshield! Then try to explain that to the cop "But officer, if I crash my car into a bridge then I'm the one responsible". Let us all know how that goes...

 

[anon(871934)]

This is demonstrably false as, for example, BeyondPod, which is definitely not Google, works with AA. As does Audible and I hear (because I don't use) other apps like Spotify, IHeartRadio, Stitcher, etc. all work with AA.

He specifically said "navigation apps."

 

[Tom Westrick]

...
So whatever apps I want to run, they should not limit anything. If I crash my car into a bridge because I was busy on Android Auto, I am the one responsible, not Google.

See, you say that. But then there'd be a police investigation into the crash, and it could be determined that you were playing on your Google head unit. All of a sudden Google has extremely negative press for their product because of how you used it. And your family decides to sue and gets a hefty sum.

That's not even adding in the fact that you may crash into someone, not just something.

 

[ljo13]

See, you say that. But then there'd be a police investigation into the crash, and it could be determined that you were playing on your Google head unit. All of a sudden Google has extremely negative press for their product because of how you used it. And your family decides to sue and gets a hefty sum.

Yeah, I know. God, I hate the American legislation for even allowing these kind of lawsuits. In Europe you would end up nowhere with your lawsuit.

Anyway, they should just add more functionality. It's not because I am driving that my company should not be able to look up another song or perform more actions. It just does not make sense to limit it so hard just because the legal system in America is ****ed up.

 

[anon(871934)]

Yeah, I know. God, I hate the American legislation for even allowing these kind of lawsuits. In Europe you would end up nowhere with your lawsuit.

Anyway, they should just add more functionality. It's not because I am driving that my company should not be able to look up another song or perform more actions. It just does not make sense to limit it so hard just because the legal system in America is ****ed up.

These kinds of lawsuits are really just another form of government regulation. They're controlling what companies can and cannot do by influencing their actions through the placement of liability in the court system. In the case of Europe, you're directly regulating companies in the EU rather than using the courts. Same result, different methods. Spare us the lecture.

 

[Pedrore]

I think if these systems (Auto or CarPlay) could detect a passenger (through the airbag defeat sensor) then they should remove the scrolling constraints etc. (as if you are parked). Either the passenger is doing the scrolling or the passenger can alert the driver if they are becoming distracted. Seems like a reasonable compromise.

 

[Andrew DeFaria]

Nope, holding ff/rw just skips a bunch of tracks.

That's sucks. What player are you using? This works for me in Google Music and BeyondPod, my podcast player. Oh and Audible too.

I notice when I glance down, I wonder why the artist's face is so big or cut off on the screen. Glancing down while driving is not a crime, same as looking out the window. I've also looked more intently at stoplights, and it looks weird.

Again, maybe it's the player.

I'm talking within Android auto. There is nothing that shows the album name. Even if I go back to my car's screen with something playing in Android Auto, it just shows track and artist, no album.

I prefer it to be in the Drive Information Display. Note that in the vette, if playing music from a USB stick (yeah not using AA - or maybe even when using GM in AA, I forget) when a song changes or whatever I get a breif informational message in the DIC and the HUD. I wish AA would integrate with the vette's HUD. Anybody know why it doesn't?

That's a good idea, if you plan ahead. It should still be available in the Android auto app.

It actually is a bit in that asking Google "McDonalds" will search for McDonalds nearby and allow you to set a route (or a stop) for one.

I have. They don't seem to care.

That you have to take up with them.

I wouldn't do this while driving...please don't assume I'm an irresponsible driver because I want some more features available to me.

You may or may not be a responsible driver. Other people also may or may not be a responsible driver. In systems like this it's the government who forces the companies into a lowest common denominator mentality.

I test drove a Tesla once. WIth that large screen I'm pretty sure that I could fire up a browser and cruise the web. I wonder how Tesla does that but GM can't....

I don't know if they do, but since no updates, either via a press release or app updates, makes me think they aren't doing anything with Android auto at the moment.

I've gotten app updates. In fact I've gotten AA beta (or was that GM beta).

 

[Andrew DeFaria]

If they have something they're working on with it, I really wish they would say something.

They never do for anything else that they do - why would you expect it here?

What I do is subscribe This Week In Google (TWIG) and All About Android (AAA) to keep up on such things.

 

[Andrew DeFaria]

To be clear, devs only have access to APIs Google makes public.

Or that they could reverse engineer. BTW is AA Open Source or not?

So far, that just provides hooks for media playback and messaging, so Devs are currently unable to develop anything else. I have been in contact with both Dash and Glympse, both of which have told me they would be all over Android Auto if and when Google publishes APIs for something other than media and messages.

You may be right.

Ya know there's a lot of government force and regulations here that Google needs to comply with. Perhaps publishing such APIs to developers who then develop apps not in compliance with the law is what's stopping them.

For the record I'm a staunch Libertarian and against all such regulations.

 

[Andrew DeFaria]

See, you say that. But then there'd be a police investigation into the crash, and it could be determined that you were playing on your Google head unit. All of a sudden Google has extremely negative press for their product because of how you used it. And your family decides to sue and gets a hefty sum.

That's not even adding in the fact that you may crash into someone, not just something.

You could say the same thing and substitute the phrase "the radio". How is it different?

 

[Tom Westrick]

You could say the same thing and substitute the phrase "the radio". How is it different?

Changing a radio station requires much less effort than scrolling through your ENTIRE music library

 

[Tom Westrick]

Or that they could reverse engineer. BTW is AA Open Source or not?



You may be right.

Ya know there's a lot of government force and regulations here that Google needs to comply with. Perhaps publishing such APIs to developers who then develop apps not in compliance with the law is what's stopping them.

For the record I'm a staunch Libertarian and against all such regulations.

No, Android Auto is not open source.

On your second point, mandating safety features has saved millions of lives. Two sources:

Lives Saved by the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards

Auto Safety Regulations Saved 3.5 Million Lives Since 1965 Publication of Ralph Nader’s Unsafe at Any Speed

 

[Andrew DeFaria]

The first link is bad. It shows a document with lots of weird characters.

The second link says that many lives have been saved but there's no real data there to indicate that changing a radio station or indeed actually reading a text message (horrors!) causes those 3.5 million deaths. No they say things like seat belts and drunk driving laws.

Nice misinformation though...

 

[Andrew DeFaria]

Changing a radio station requires much less effort than scrolling through your ENTIRE music library

Who the hell is saying "scrolling through your entire library"?!? Indeed in my Vette, using the factory infotainment system I can "scroll" through the entire library. And by scroll I mean go through the menus of genres, artist, album, song. Or I can go through all songs if I really want (I don't want). But with AA I can't. Dumb. Just plain stupid.

 

[ireknole]

That's sucks. What player are you using? This works for me in Google Music and BeyondPod, my podcast player. Oh and Audible too.



Again, maybe it's the player.



I prefer it to be in the Drive Information Display. Note that in the vette, if playing music from a USB stick (yeah not using AA - or maybe even when using GM in AA, I forget) when a song changes or whatever I get a breif informational message in the DIC and the HUD. I wish AA would integrate with the vette's HUD. Anybody know why it doesn't?



It actually is a bit in that asking Google "McDonalds" will search for McDonalds nearby and allow you to set a route (or a stop) for one.



That you have to take up with them.



You may or may not be a responsible driver. Other people also may or may not be a responsible driver. In systems like this it's the government who forces the companies into a lowest common denominator mentality.

I test drove a Tesla once. WIth that large screen I'm pretty sure that I could fire up a browser and cruise the web. I wonder how Tesla does that but GM can't....



I've gotten app updates. In fact I've gotten AA beta (or was that GM beta).

I'm not breaking out the quotes again, but I'll try to address all your points.

I'm using Google play music and Spotify. I haven't tried skipping items in podcasts or audio books. This can't be the car too! Do you have an aftermarket unit or a pre-installed unit? I haven't tried using the skip in anything other than android auto, I guess I could dig up a cd and try it.

Album art does the same zoomed in thing in every player I've used, Google music and Spotify.

I get app updates, but none seem to address anything within Android auto, or at least no interface updates with menus and such. It's stayed the same since I started using it, minus the added "scroll while parked" feature.