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Android Auto is working on support for more types of vehicles, including motorcycles (APK teardown)
- Google is prepping a few interface changes for Android Auto to extend support to more types of vehicles.
- The company has added a few new icons to the app, suggesting motorcycle support is in the works.
- Android Auto could also get high-resolution video output support for large head units.
Google could soon introduce a few interface changes for the Android Auto app to make it more inclusive for motorcycle riders. The company also seems to be working on adding support for higher-resolution displays to make the interface look crisp, even if you have a 10-inch or larger head unit in your car.
An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release.
We’ve spotted the upcoming interface changes in Android Auto version 13.5.150204 ahead of the official release. As you can see in the following screenshots, Google has replaced all instances of the word “Car” in the app’s settings with “Vehicle.” Although minor, this change suggests that Google doesn’t plan to limit Android Auto to cars.
The company has also added a few new icons to the app, confirming its intent to support motorcycles officially. The app has even received brand-specific icons, including one for Indian motorcycle manufacturer TVS.
In addition to these interface changes, we’ve spotted evidence suggesting that Android Auto could soon support higher-resolution head units. Currently, the app is capped at 1920x1080p resolution video output.
However, Google appears to be working on adding support for 2560x1440p and 3840x2160p video output. As mentioned earlier, these changes are not live in the current stable Android Auto release and will likely roll out with a future update.
It’s worth noting that Google is also working to bring Android Automotive OS to motorcycles. Austrian motorcycle maker KTM has already unveiled a new Communication Control Unit based on the operating system, which will be available on its upcoming premium motorcycles.