Media apps in Android Auto are about to get a big design boost

At the Android Show: I/O Edition 2026 last week, Google shared details about Gemini Intelligence and Googlebooks and also announced a massive makeover for Android Auto, including Material 3 Expressive design, widgets, and video apps. Now, alongside the I/O announcements, the company has shared more details about the updates coming to media apps on Android Auto in a new developer blog post.

The Car App Library is getting new features to help developers build more expressive app experiences on Android Auto and in Cars with Google Built-in. App developers will be able to use expanded headers for visual emphasis, spotlight sections for highlighting content, new progress bars, and new grid item variations.

Additionally, developers will be able to use new components, including chips, compact items, and interactive headers, in their media apps. There’s also a new mini-player component that lets users control playback while browsing through the app.

These updates to the Car App Library are coming with 1.8.0-beta01 and 1.9.0-alpha01, and developers can already sign up for early access to the new templates. However, popular apps, including Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, and others, are already incorporating the new features to improve their media experiences.

Support for video playback in cars, originally announced last week, will start rolling out to compatible vehicles later this year and will be available to users with devices running Android 17 or higher.

Google also announced new updates coming later this year. Developers will be able to offer a templated experience that can seamlessly transition into the full app experience when users park their cars.

New templates in the Car App Library will also allow agentic and voice-based flows within apps. Plus, Google is adding Maps SDK support to Cars with Google Built-in. This will allow developers to render map-based content in their apps.