In addition to having optimized most of its features for use on tablets and devices with a particular form factor, Google has used Android 12L to also redesign Android Automotive OS, the version of Android dedicated to cars. The Android Automotive OS 12L changelog has just been made available: let’s find out all the news that this new update brings with it.
Android Automotive OS 12L: here are all the news
We start with some new features to the system user interface: Android Automotive OS 12L introduces quick controls that allow manufacturers to add specific settings, such as the ability to enable/disable Bluetooth, to the status bar or other interface elements system.
The notifications section is also revised , with improvements for grouped notifications, while support for rotary controllers (i.e. hardware knobs) receives improvements and bug fixes. Other new features include improved stability of the Bluetooth connection, improvements to the audio sector, camera management, and many other aspects of the operating system.
There is also no shortage of news regarding safety and the improvement of stability and general performance . For the more curious, below is the complete register of the news of the new update to Android Automotive OS 12L.
Complete changelog
Here is the complete changelog of Android Automotive OS 12L. For more information, however, we refer you to the official page on the documentation relating to the operating system, on the Android source portal.
System UI and core app improvements
- Quick Controls Feature: Allows OEMs to add selected settings (for example, Bluetooth switches) to SysUI (for example, the status bar) to allow users to change key settings safely while driving, without opening the Settings app .
- Rotarian support: Improvements and bug fixes.
- User interface customization: Plug-in architecture enabled for custom classes. For details, see Car UI Plugin.
- Visual review notification: User experience review and improvements to grouped notifications.
Bluetooth
- Improved Bluetooth reconnect performance: Automatically connect to devices more often and under the right circumstances. For more information, see Managing the Bluetooth connection.
- Messaging database: Support for using a messaging database via the Message Access Profile (MAP) to provide more flexibility for Bluetooth-based messaging apps.
Connectivity
- Network Selection by Application (PANS): Enables the creation and enforcement of a dynamic network policy that determines which applications can use OEM_PAID networks.
- Dual STA: Allow IVI to connect to an OEM restricted Wi-Fi network, concurrently with a primary connection to a Wi-Fi network.
Audio
- Audio attenuation signal: Provides HAL with audio focus status and information on which output devices to avoid.
- Volume Enhancements: Enable for more precise volume control, including provisioning and API to get active volume groups.
- Volume Group Mute: Enables mute by volume group and improves HAL and UI communication on mute states.
- AIDL Migration for AudioControl HAL: Migration of AudioControl HAL from HIDL to AIDL to make full use of AIDL functionality.
- Power Policy Management for Audio: Power management functionality enabled for car audio service, including mute and enable focus requests and mute and unmute volume groups in case of changes to the power policy for audio.
Camera
- CarEvs Manager: Allows OEMs to implement Android activity showing previews from automotive camera services.
System reliability and stability
- Car Watchdog Flash Memory Management: Manages system flash memory by limiting the amount of data written to memory. It allows OEMs to define write thresholds (for OEM packages, media and maps) and to collect statistics for OEM applications. Disable and terminate non-critical applications and services that exceed defined thresholds.
Safety
- Vehicle-linked: 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 a theft or relegated to a landfill).
- Secure developer options: The Android and ADB developer options can only be remotely enabled by an OEM. The reference implementation provides cryptographic token access mechanisms and a remote Web service.
Position
- Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) Position Switches: Device location access for apps used for ADAS can now be controlled with a separate position switch in the Settings app.
Telemetry
- Edge-based analytics: Capability Enables the ability to perform multiple edge-based metric processing on Android Automotive devices. Android infotainment and vehicle property metrics can be configured in scripts written in the Lua language and processed on the device to be sent to the OEM’s backend of choice.
Compliance
- Compliance fixes: A series of patches ensure compliance with the Android certification test suites. The AAOS version of Android 12L is 100% compliant with the CTS, CTS-Verifier and STS test suites on our internal reference platform with no additional fixes needed in the AOSP software.