docs/html/distribute/googleplay/auto.jd

page.title=Distribute to Android Auto
page.image=/design/auto/images/auto-overview.png
meta.tags="auto", "publish", "quality"
page.tags="auto", "publish", "googleplay"
page.metaDescription=Distribute your apps and content to Android Auto.

@jd:body

<div id="qv-wrapper"><div id="qv">
<h2>How to Participate</h2>
<ol>
<li><a href="#understand_guidelines">Understand the guidelines</a></li>
<li><a href="#develop_app">Develop a great app for Auto</a></li>
<li><a href="#test_app">Test for Auto App Quality</a></li>
<li><a href="#opt_in">Agree to terms</a></li>
<li><a href="#track_review">Track your review</a></li>
</ol>

<h2>You Should Also Read</h2>
<ol>
<li><a href="{@docRoot}distribute/essentials/quality/auto.html">Auto App Quality</a></li>
</ol>

</div></div>

<p>
  If you've got a great app, Android Auto and Google Play can help you
  bring it to users right in their vehicles. You can
  extend your new or existing apps for Auto and then publish them using familiar
  tools and processes in Google Play.
</p>

<p>
  To get started, review the sections in this document to learn how to
  distribute your Auto apps to users through Google Play. Be sure to read
  <a href="{@docRoot}distribute/essentials/quality/auto.html">Auto App Quality</a>
  for information on the usability, quality, and safety-related guidelines that your apps should
  meet. When your app is ready, you can accept the terms in the Developer Console and upload your
  APK for review.
</p>

<h2 id="how_to_participate">
  How to Participate
</h2>

<p>
  Google Play lets you deliver apps for use in vehicles. You can develop and publish using your
  existing Developer Console account and your current distribution and pricing settings. It's easy
  to participate — the sections below outline the process.
</p>

<div style="float:right;margin:1em 0 1.5em 2em;">
  <img src="{@docRoot}images/gp-auto-process.png">
</div>

<h3 id="understand_guidelines">
  1. Understand guidelines and requirements
</h3>

<p>
  To prepare for a successful launch on Android Auto, start by reviewing the
  guidelines for creating great experiences on Auto. See the <a href=
  "{@docRoot}design/auto/index.html">Android Auto design guidelines</a> for ideas
  on extending your app for Auto and details on design and usability.
</p>

<p>
  As you get started designing your Auto experience, make sure to read and
  understand the quality criteria for Auto apps. Only apps that are usable on Auto
  will be designated as Auto apps on Google Play &mdash; your apps can participate
  if they meet a set of basic quality criteria. See
  <a href="{@docRoot}distribute/essentials/quality/auto.html">Auto
  App Quality</a> for details.
</p>

<h3 id="develop_app">2. Develop a great app for Auto</h3>

<p>
  A great app for Auto is designed for vehicle use and takes advantage of the
  capabilities of Android Auto. The app offers a high-quality experience while the user is on the
  go such as providing playback for audio content or accessing messages.
</p>

<p>
  As you consider your Auto app, review the <a href=
  "{@docRoot}training/auto/start/index.html">developer documentation</a> and
  usability guidelines and plan on supporting them to the greatest extent
  possible. Make sure to design a great experience and adhere to our guidelines for preventing
  driver distraction.
</p>

<p>
  You must deliver your Auto experience as part of your existing app for phones, tablets, and other
  devices, using the same package name and store listing.
</p>

<h3 id="test_app">3. Test for Auto App Quality</h3>

<p>
  Your Auto apps should be designed to perform well, look great in the car,
  and offer the best user experience possible. Google Play will showcase selected high-quality
  Auto apps for easy discovery by users in Google Play. Here’s how you
  can participate and deliver an Android Auto app that users will enjoy:
</p>

<ul>
  <li>Meet <a href="{@docRoot}distribute/essentials/quality/auto.html">Auto App
  Quality</a> guidelines
    <ul>
      <li>Follow our best practices for <a href="{@docRoot}training/auto/index.html">
      Auto app development</a></li>
      <li>Make sure your app meets all of the <a href=
      "{@docRoot}distribute/essentials/quality/auto.html">Auto App Quality</a> criteria</li>
    </ul>
  </li>
</ul>

<h3 id="opt_in">4. Agree to Android Auto terms and publish</h3>

<p>
  Before you can upload your APK and publish the app for review, the developer account owner
  must agree to the
  <a href="https://play.google.com/about/auto/developer-distribution-agreement-addendum.html">Android
  Auto terms</a> from the <strong>Pricing and Distribution</strong> section of the
  Developer Console. Agreeing to the terms means that you want your app to be made available
  to Android Auto users through Google Play, and that
  your app meets <a href="{@docRoot}distribute/essentials/quality/auto.html">Auto
  App Quality</a> guidelines.
</p>

<p>
  Your Auto app can be uploaded only after you have agreed to the terms. The following describes
  which apps are determined to be Auto apps:
</p>

<ul>
  <li>Your app manifest must declare the <code>com.google.android.gms.car.application</code>
  metadata entry in the manifest with auto capabilities that the app uses. For more information
  about configuring your app for use with Android Auto, see
  <a href="{@docRoot}training/auto/start/index.html#auto-metadata">Getting Started with Auto</a>.
  </li>
</ul>

<p>
  When you've built your release-ready APK and tested to ensure that it meets
  all of the <a href="{@docRoot}distribute/essentials/quality/auto.html">Auto App
  Quality</a> guidelines, upload it to the Developer Console. Update your store
  listing with any additional Auto functionality information, and set distribution options as
  needed. If you aren't familiar with how to prepare for launch on Google Play,
  see the <a href=
  "{@docRoot}distribute/googleplay/publish/preparing.html">Launch
  Checklist.</a>
</p>

<p>
  After you agree to the terms and save the changes, you can upload and publish your app as usual.
  Before making the app available to Android Auto users, Google Play submits
  your app for review against the <a href=
  "{@docRoot}distribute/essentials/quality/auto.html">Auto App Quality</a> criteria
  and notifies you of the result. If your app is approved, Google Play makes that app
  available to Android Auto users. See the next section for details on how to track the approval
  status of your app.
</p>

<p>
  Note that the review affects the availability of your app to other devices in
  Google Play Store &mdash; on phones and tablets, for example.
  If you have an existing app that includes updates to the phone/tablet component,
  the Android Auto component must pass review before the updated app
  is made available on the Google Play Store.
</p>

<p>
  Here are the steps to agree to Android Auto terms in the Developer Console:
</p>

<ol>
  <li>Make sure your app meets all <a href=
  "{@docRoot}distribute/essentials/quality/auto.html">Auto App Quality</a> criteria
  </li>

  <li>In the <strong>All Applications</strong> page, click the app you want to publish.
  </li>

  <li>Under <strong>Pricing and Distribution</strong>, scroll down to find <em>Android Auto</em> and the
  link to the terms.
  </li>

  <li>Click the <em>terms</em> link.
  </li>

  <li>Read through the terms and click <em>Agree</em>.
  </li>
</ol>

<div style="padding-top:1em">
  <img style="border:2px solid #ddd;" src="{@docRoot}images/gp-auto-opt-in.png">
  <p class="caption">
    <strong>Agree to terms for Auto:</strong> Include your app in Android Auto by agreeing to the
    terms from the Developer Console.
  </p>
</div>

<h3 id="track_review">5. Track your review</h3>

<p>
  Your app will be reviewed for compliance with driver distraction guidelines and the
  technical and quality criteria described above. This detailed review process may take
  more time than you are accustomed to when submitting phone/tablet apps.
  Until your app is approved, your app or app update won’t be published to the Google Play Store.
  After a successful review, your app will be published and made available on the Google Play
  Store.
</p>

<p>If your app is not accepted, you’ll receive a <strong>notification email sent to your
  developer account address</strong>, with a summary of the areas that you need to address. When
  you’ve made the necessary adjustments, you can upload a new version of your app to the Developer
  Console.
</p>

<p>
  Note that if the submitted app is an update to an existing app and your updated app does not meet
  the review criteria, the update is rejected and the existing app remains published in the Google
  Play Store.
</p>

<p>To understand how your apps are evaluated, please see the <a href=
"{@docRoot}distribute/essentials/quality/auto.html">Auto App Quality</a> document. </p>


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