Android Auto — Android Auto compliance requirements

Apps distributed for use on Android Auto have to follow driver-distraction-focused design rules on top of standard Play policy — no video playback, no manual text entry, and simplified interaction patterns suited to glancing rather than sustained attention while the car is in motion.

A common cause is a media or navigation app that ports its phone UI to the car screen without adapting it, keeping interactions (like free-text search) that Android Auto's review explicitly disallows while driving.

The short version, in more detail

Apps made for Android Auto follow extra rules built around driver distraction. They must avoid video playback and manual text entry and use simplified interactions suited to quick glances while a car is moving. Developers who move a phone interface to the car screen unchanged often keep features, such as free-text search, that the programme does not allow.

Why this rule exists

A driver's attention is a safety matter, so the car screen is held to a different standard from a phone. Interactions that are fine on the sofa can be dangerous at speed. The programme limits what an app can present and how it can be controlled, so that apps in cars support the drive without competing with it. Android Auto review is stricter for the same reason.

What this guideline covers

• Media, messaging and navigation apps for Android Auto.
• Rules against video and manual text input while driving.
• Simplified layouts and glanceable interactions.
• Additional review for car-screen features.

What usually triggers this rejection

• A media app that ports its full phone interface to the car.
• Free-text search or typing on the car display.
• Video content shown on the vehicle screen.
• Complex menus that need sustained attention.
• Notifications or prompts that distract the driver.

How reviewers evaluate it

• Reviewers test the app in a car-like environment.
• They check each screen against driver-distraction guidance.
• They look for prohibited input methods and content.
• Car apps are reviewed separately from the phone app.

Common misunderstandings

• Passing review for the phone app does not cover the car experience.
• Voice input is the intended route for search, not typing.
• The rules are about safety, not just style.

Common questions