In addition to tablets, Android 12L also brings a number of features to the Android Automotive OS, which Google quietly elaborated on last month during I / O 2022, which focused most on the upcoming Android Auto redesign.
In terms of system user interface enhancements, Android Automotive introduces OS 12L Quick Controls, which allow OEMs to add selected settings, such as Bluetooth switches, to the status bar or other SysUI elements. This allows users to “change key settings securely while driving without opening the Settings app”, and is dependent on the car manufacturer’s adoption. Each is likely to offer their own user interface and approach.
There is also a “visual overhaul of messages” that improves grouped messages, while support for rotating controllers (hardware button) gets bug fixes.
Other highlights include enhanced Bluetooth reconnection performance that will see AA OS “connect to devices more often and under the right circumstances.” Car OEMs will be able to “preview from car camera services, while said manufacturers can now remotely enable ADB and other Android developer options remotely. This could be used for” crypto token access mechanisms and remote web service. “
The full developer-facing change log for Android Automotive OS 12L is below:
System UI and core apps improvements
- The Quick Control function. Allows OEMs to add selected settings (such as Bluetooth switching) to the SysUI (such as the status bar) to allow users to safely change key settings while driving without opening the Settings app.
- Rotating support. Improvements and bug fixes.
- UI customization. Enabled plug-in architecture for custom classes. See Car UI Plugins for details.
- Visual inspection of messages. UX review and grouped message enhancements.
Bluetooth
- Improved Bluetooth reconnection performance. Automatically connect to devices more often and under the right circumstances. See Bluetooth connection management for more information.
- Message database. Support the use of a messaging database through Message Access Profile (MAP) to provide more flexibility for messaging apps that rely on Bluetooth.
Connection
- Per-application network selection (PANS). Enable the creation and enforcement of a dynamic network policy that determines which applications can use
OEM_PAID networks. - Double STA. Enable IVI to connect to an OEM-restricted Wi-Fi network while having a primary connection to a Wi-Fi network.
Sound
- Audio ducking signal. Provides HAL with audio focus mode and information on which output devices to pop.
- Volume improvements. Enable for finer volume control, including delivery and API to get active volume groups.
- Silent per. volume group. Activate muting per. volume group and improve HAL and UI communication about the mute modes.
- AIDL migration to AudioControl HAL. Migrated AudioControl HAL from HIDL to AIDL to take full advantage of AIDL functionality.
- Managing audio power policy. Enabled power management functionality for the car stereo service, including disabling and enabling focus requests and turning volume groups on and off for changes in audio power policy.
Camera
- CarEvsManager. Enables OEMs to implement Android Activity, which shows the preview from car camera services.
System reliability and stability
- Flash memory management for car watchdog. Manages the system’s flash memory by limiting the amount of data written to the memory. Enables OEMs to define write thresholds (for OEM, media, and card packages) and collect statistics for OEM applications. Disables and shuts down non-critical applications and services that exceed defined thresholds.
Security
- Vehicle-bound encryption. Android storage encryption can now be configured to store some key encryption parameters on an external ECU. This prevents data collection by removing the main unit from the car (for example due to theft or referred to a garbage dump).
- Secure developer opportunities. Android developer options and ADB can be remotely activated exclusively by an OEM. Reference implementation provides access mechanisms to the crypto token and remote web service.
Location
- Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) location switch. Device location access for apps used for ADAS can now be controlled with a separate location switch in the Settings app.
Telemetry
- Edge-based analysis function. Enables the ability to perform more edge-based metric processing on Android Automotive devices. Android infotainment and vehicle feature metrics can be configured in scripts written in the Lua language and processed on the device so that they are sent to the backend of OEM choice.
Compliance
- Corrections to compliance. A number of patches ensure compliance with the Android certification test packages. Android 12L AAOS release is 100% compatible with CTS, CTS Verifier and STS test packages on our internal reference platform without any further fixes in the AOSP software.
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