Google’s Android Automotive platform is growing, but one of the things holding it back somewhat has been a lack of compatible apps. Thanks to a clever developer kit, though, it might be a lot easier for more apps to come to Android Automotive going forward.
As it stands today, developers interested in bringing their apps to Android Automotive are recommended to purchase a Google Pixel Tablet and install a special emulator for testing. This is in early access and, from a cost perspective, could cost a developer around $400. Plus, it only works on a single OS version of the platform.
Snapp Automotive, a company building an infotainment experience on top of Android Automotive, has today introduced its own developer kit for testing apps on the platform.
The kit itself consists of a free software download from Snapp which is designed to let Android Automotive OS run on a common board, the Khadas VIM3 Pro. This device costs around $100 and is available from Amazon as well as many electronics retailers – Snapp specifically recommends the Pro for its additional RAM. That board is then paired with any touchscreen display that works over HDMI/USB. Snapp mentions the brand “Waveshare” which has options that sell for around $100.
The idea with this kit is to allow developers to test their Android Automotive apps “in a real environment” rather than simply in an emulator.
The other point that makes this kit appealing is that it works on more than just Android 14. Unlike Google’s official offering, Snapp says it will support AAOS builds on Android 15, 14, 13, 12, and 12.1. And, importantly, the build available for the kit is stock, meaning it can truly serve as a reference point for developers.
This certainly isn’t a kit users should be looking at – it does lack Google apps after all, swapping out Google Maps for Snapp’s own open-source “Snapp Maps” – but the benefit of this kit could very well be felt by users in the long run. It brings down the cost and improves the flexibility for developers looking to bring apps to Google’s platform, and as that platform is used in more and more vehicles, that’s great news.
Snapp is launching this developer kit today, with more details available on the company’s website.
More on Android Automotive:
- Android Automotive is now coming to motorcycles too
- Android Automotive gains Google Maps incident reporting function
- Android 15 for Android Automotive adds homescreen dock, Bluetooth boosts, more
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