[Update 4/12/18] – With the release of Android Auto 3.0 custom apps that have not been approved on the Google Play Store no longer work with Android Auto.
A resourceful developer figured out how to display your vehicle information and speed camera alerts while using Android Auto… but there’s a catch.
Ever since Android Auto was released, a common request has always been to be able to display more information on the screen. While the main purpose of Android Auto is to reduce distracted driving by keeping it to a minimalist interface, cases have been made to expand this.
Case in point, OBD-II readers are able to display engine diagnostics and vehicle information such as speed, RPM, and gas mileage. Wouldn’t it be nice to have this information able to be displayed on your car stereo? Of course there is a plethora of aftermarket gauges and displays that do this, but having it displayed all in one place makes sense.
Enter a very enterprising developer named Emil Borconi. He has developed an add-on to be used with the Torque Pro app ($4.95 on the Play Store). With his setup you’ll be able to display a dashboard of various vehicle functions all within Android Auto. As an added bonus it will also display a notification when in proximity of speed trap camera.
Functions Displayed
- Vehicle Speed
- RPMS
- Fuel Usage
- Air Temp
- Coolant Temperature
Now, here’s the catch. Google wouldn’t approve this app for the Play Store. Sorry to get your hopes up, but this shows what potentially can be done with existing technology. Not all is lost however; if you’re the type to root your phone Emil has released his plugin on the XDA Developer forums here.
