Build video apps for Android Automotive OS

In addition to the guidelines described in Build parked apps for Android Automotive OS, there are some requirements specific to video apps.

Depend on the android-automotive-video library

In addition to the manifest elements described in Build parked apps for Android Automotive OS, video apps built for Android Automotive OS must include the following <uses-library> element in the AndroidManifest.xml file:

<manifest ...>
    ...
    <application ...>
        ...
        <uses-library
            android:name="android-automotive-video"
            android:required="true"/>
        ...
    </application>
</manifest>

Mark your app as a video app

To indicate that your app supports video, add an XML file named automotive_app_desc.xml to the res/xml/ directory in your project. In this file, include the following content:

<automotiveApp>
  <uses name="video"/>
</automotiveApp>

Then, within the <application> element of your manifest, add the following <meta-data> element referencing the XML file:

<meta-data
  android:name="com.android.automotive"
  android:resource="@xml/automotive_app_desc"/>

Test video apps on Android Automotive OS

In general, follow the instructions available at Test Android apps for cars. Only the SDK 30 and 32 emulators available through Android Studio include the android-automotive-video library, so use them for testing the Automotive OS build of your app. Lower SDK emulators don't have the library, so adb installation of apps that require the library fail. The library might be included on production vehicles at lower OS levels.

Frequently asked questions

Is Widevine DRM supported?

Yes, Widevine DRM L3 is supported on Android Automotive OS.