android-car-app

name	android-car-app
description	Use when developing Android apps for Android Automotive OS (AAOS), Car App Library, or CarService API integration. Covers driver distraction guidelines, CarAppService, template navigation, Car UX Restrictions (UXR), CarPropertyManager, HVAC APIs, and automotive-specific manifest/build configuration in Gradle and AOSP (Soong).
argument-hint	<feature-name> [car-app-library|carservice|aaos-ui|hvac]

Android Car App Development

Expert practices for building Android applications targeting Android Automotive OS (AAOS) IVI head units and RSE rear-seat systems, using the Car App Library and CarService APIs. All UI must comply with automotive Driver Distraction Guidelines.

Standards baseline: Car App Library 1.4+ · Android API 33 · AAOS Android 13+.

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When to Use This Skill

• Building an app based on the Car App Library (navigation, POI, media, messaging templates).
• Integrating with CarService APIs (CarPropertyManager, HVAC, CarAudioManager).
• Handling Car UX Restrictions (UXR) — blocking text input, limiting list depth while driving.
• Configuring automotive manifest metadata and AOSP product integration.
• Reviewing automotive UI for driver distraction compliance.

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Android Automotive OS vs Android Auto

	Android Auto	Android Automotive OS
Runs on	Phone (projected)	In-vehicle head unit
Needs phone	Yes	No
App entry	Car App Library or Android Auto protocol	Native Android app + Car App Library optional
Target	Projection experience	Standalone systemapp
Build	Standard APK	APK or AOSP prebuilt

This skill focuses on AAOS (native in-vehicle apps), not Android Auto phone projection.

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Car App Library

Suitable App Categories

• Navigation apps (MapTemplate, RoutePreviewNavigationTemplate)
• Point of Interest (POI) browsers (PlaceListMapTemplate)
• Media apps (use MediaBrowserService — Car App Library not always needed)
• Messaging (MessageTemplate)
• Generic list/grid apps (ListTemplate, GridTemplate)

App structure

CarAppService
    └── Session
            └── Screen (stack managed by ScreenManager)

@AndroidEntryPoint
class MyCarAppService : CarAppService() {

    override fun createHostValidator() = HostValidator.ALLOW_ALL_HOSTS_VALIDATOR // dev only

    override fun onCreateSession(): Session = MySession()
}

class MySession : Session() {

    override fun onCreateScreen(intent: Intent): Screen =
        HomeScreen(carContext)
}

<!-- AndroidManifest.xml -->
<service
    android:name=".MyCarAppService"
    android:exported="true">
    <intent-filter>
        <action android:name="androidx.car.app.CarAppService" />
        <category android:name="androidx.car.app.category.POI" />
        <!-- or: navigation, parking, charging, iot, misc -->
    </intent-filter>
</service>

<meta-data
    android:name="androidx.car.app.minCarApiLevel"
    android:value="3" />

---

Templates

ListTemplate

class HomeScreen(carContext: CarContext) : Screen(carContext) {

    override fun onGetTemplate(): Template {
        val listBuilder = ItemList.Builder()
        menuItems.forEach { item ->
            listBuilder.addItem(
                Row.Builder()
                    .setTitle(item.title)
                    .addText(item.subtitle)
                    .setOnClickListener { screenManager.push(DetailScreen(carContext, item.id)) }
                    .build()
            )
        }

        return ListTemplate.Builder()
            .setHeaderAction(Action.APP_ICON)
            .setTitle(carContext.getString(R.string.app_name))
            .setSingleList(listBuilder.build())
            .build()
    }
}

MapTemplate (Navigation apps)

MapTemplate.Builder()
    .setMapController(
        MapController.Builder()
            .setMapActionStrip(ActionStrip.Builder()
                .addAction(Action.PAN)
                .build())
            .build()
    )
    .setPane(
        Pane.Builder()
            .addRow(Row.Builder().setTitle("Next: Turn right").build())
            .addAction(Action.Builder().setTitle("Stop").setOnClickListener { }.build())
            .build()
    )
    .build()

Template limits while driving

Template	Max list items (driving)	Max actions
ListTemplate	6	2
GridTemplate	6	2
MessageTemplate	—	2
NavigationTemplate	—	4 (action strip)

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Car UX Restrictions (UXR)

class UxRestrictionsAwareActivity : AppCompatActivity() {

    private lateinit var carUxRestrictionsManager: CarUxRestrictionsManager
    private val listener = CarUxRestrictionsManager.OnUxRestrictionsChangedListener { restrictions ->
        handleUxRestrictions(restrictions)
    }

    override fun onStart() {
        super.onStart()
        val car = Car.createCar(this)
        carUxRestrictionsManager = car.getCarManager(Car.CAR_UX_RESTRICTION_SERVICE)
                as CarUxRestrictionsManager
        carUxRestrictionsManager.registerListener(listener)
        handleUxRestrictions(carUxRestrictionsManager.currentCarUxRestrictions)
    }

    override fun onStop() {
        super.onStop()
        carUxRestrictionsManager.unregisterListener(listener)
    }

    private fun handleUxRestrictions(restrictions: CarUxRestrictions) {
        val isDriving = restrictions.isRequiresDistractionOptimization
        searchInput.isEnabled = !isDriving
        settingsButton.isVisible = !isDriving
    }
}

Rules

• Always check isRequiresDistractionOptimization before allowing text input or complex interactions.
• Disable / hide non-driving features — do not just block input silently.
• In Car App Library, the host enforces template limits automatically — but validate with CarAppApiLevelToken.

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CarPropertyManager — Vehicle Properties

@Singleton
class HvacRepository @Inject constructor(
    @ApplicationContext private val context: Context,
) {
    private val car = Car.createCar(context)
    private val propertyManager =
        car.getCarManager(Car.PROPERTY_SERVICE) as CarPropertyManager

    // Read current fan speed
    fun getFanSpeed(zone: Int): Int =
        propertyManager.getIntProperty(VehiclePropertyIds.HVAC_FAN_SPEED, zone)

    // Set driver zone temperature
    fun setDriverTemp(celsius: Float) {
        propertyManager.setFloatProperty(
            VehiclePropertyIds.HVAC_TEMPERATURE_SET,
            VehicleAreaSeat.SEAT_ROW_1_LEFT,
            celsius,
        )
    }

    // Subscribe to property changes
    fun observeDriverTemp(zone: Int): Flow<Float> = callbackFlow {
        val callback = object : CarPropertyManager.CarPropertyEventCallback {
            override fun onChangeEvent(event: CarPropertyValue<*>) {
                trySend(event.value as Float)
            }
            override fun onErrorEvent {  }
        }
        propertyManager.registerCallback(
            callback,
            VehiclePropertyIds.HVAC_TEMPERATURE_SET,
            CarPropertyManager.SENSOR_RATE_ONCHANGE,
        )
        awaitClose { propertyManager.unregisterCallback(callback) }
    }
}

Rules

• Always check isPropertyAvailable() before reading a vehicle property.
• Car API calls must be made from a background thread (IO dispatcher).
• Release Car instance in onDestroy with car.disconnect().
• android.car.permission.CONTROL_CAR_CLIMATE required for HVAC writes — privileged app only.

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Permissions for Automotive Apps

Permission	Category	Requires privileged?
android.car.permission.CAR_INFO	Read vehicle info	No
android.car.permission.CONTROL_CAR_CLIMATE	Write HVAC	Yes (system/priv)
android.car.permission.CAR_SPEED	Read vehicle speed	No
android.car.permission.CAR_ENERGY_PORTS	EV charging/fuel	No
android.car.permission.CAR_EXTERIOR_LIGHTS	Exterior lights	Yes

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AOSP — Automotive App Module

android_app {
    name: "MyAutomotiveApp",
    srcs: ["src/**/*.kt"],
    resource_dirs: ["res"],
    manifest: "AndroidManifest.xml",

    static_libs: [
        "androidx.car.app_app",             // Car App Library
        "car-ui-lib",                        // AOSP UI toolkit
        "android.car",                       // CarService stubs for compilation
        "hilt_android",
    ],
    libs: [
        "android.car",
    ],

    certificate: "platform",               // required for privileged car permissions
    privileged: true,
    product_specific: true,

    sdk_version: "current",
}

<!-- automotive_app_desc.xml (res/xml/) -->
<automotiveApp>
    <uses name="template" />
</automotiveApp>

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Media App in AAOS

For media playback (music, podcasts, audiobooks), use MediaBrowserServiceCompat and MediaSessionCompat (or androidx.media3). AAOS Media Center discovers media apps via android.media.browse.MediaBrowserService intent filter.

<service android:name=".MediaPlaybackService"
    android:exported="true">
    <intent-filter>
        <action android:name="android.media.browse.MediaBrowserService" />
    </intent-filter>
</service>

class MediaPlaybackService : MediaBrowserServiceCompat() {

    private lateinit var mediaSession: MediaSessionCompat

    override fun onCreate() {
        super.onCreate()
        mediaSession = MediaSessionCompat(this, "MediaPlayback").also { session ->
            session.setCallback(mediaSessionCallback)
            session.isActive = true
            sessionToken = session.sessionToken
        }
    }
}

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Prerequisites

• Android Studio (Flamingo or newer) or AOSP build environment set up.
• Android SDK Platform-Tools installed (adb on PATH).
• Target device or emulator running Android 11+ (API 30+).
• For AOSP modules: repo tool, AOSP source synced, lunch target configured.

Step-by-Step Workflows

Step 1: Request car permissions

Add android.car.permission.* permissions in AndroidManifest.xml.

Step 2: Implement CarAppService (for Car App Library apps)

Extend CarAppService; override onCreateSession() to return your Session.

Step 3: Design templates within UXR constraints

Use only template types allowed at the current DrivingState; check CarUxRestrictions.

Step 4: Access vehicle properties

Obtain CarPropertyManager from Car.createCar() and register listeners.

Step 5: Test on an emulator or target

Use the Android Automotive OS emulator (car_x86_64) or a real AAOS device.

Troubleshooting

• CarNotConnectedException — call Car.createCar() only after onStart(); use the ServiceLifecycle callback overload.
• Template rejected at runtime (UXR violation) — check CarUxRestrictions.isRequiresDistractionOptimization(); only show allowed content while driving.
• SecurityException accessing vehicle property — request the specific android.car.permission.* in the manifest and have it granted at install time.
• App not visible in the car launcher — verify android.hardware.type.automotive feature declaration in the manifest.

Pre-Commit Checklist

• UX Restrictions check: text input disabled while driving.
• Automotive manifest includes automotive_app_desc.xml meta-data.
• Car App Library: minCarApiLevel declared in manifest.
• Template list item count ≤ 6 while driving.
• CarPropertyManager: isPropertyAvailable() checked before read.
• Car API calls on IO dispatcher, not main thread.
• Car instance disconnected in onDestroy.
• AOSP: certificate: "platform" if using privileged car permissions.
• Media apps: MediaBrowserService intent filter declared.

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References

• Android Automotive OS Developer Guide
• Car App Library Reference
• Driver Distraction Guidelines
• CarPropertyManager Reference
• AAOS Source — packages/services/Car