Publishing your game on Android Auto and Android Automotive OS
Short answer: on September 21, 2026 Google moved the games category for Android Auto and for cars running Android Automotive OS with Google built-in from beta to general availability, so any developer can now publish games for cars to the open testing and production tracks on Google Play. Games are parked-only: they can’t run while the car is moving. To get there you mark the app as a game in the manifest, declare Android Auto and Automotive OS support, handle the parked state, then opt in to the car form factors in the Play Console and pass a quality review.
Manifest entries for games in cars
From the Android Developers Blog, September 21, 2026.
| Entry | Where | Why |
|---|---|---|
| android:appCategory="game" | <application> | Distributes the app in the games category |
| android.intent.category.CAR_LAUNCHER | Intent filter of an activity, usually next to LAUNCHER | Declares Android Auto support (Android 15 and higher) |
| android.hardware.type.automotive | <uses-feature> | Declares Android Automotive OS support; required="false" on the mobile track |
| android.hardware.gamepad, required="false" | <uses-feature> | Signals optional controller support and helps visibility on Google Play |
| No distractionOptimized metadata | Any activity | Keeps the game blocked while the car is moving |
Android Auto or Android Automotive OS
Android Auto projects your game from a phone running Android 15 or higher to the car display; you declare it with the
CAR_LAUNCHER category in an activity’s intent filter, usually the same one that has LAUNCHER. Android Automotive OS runs apps on the car itself; you declare it with the android.hardware.type.automotive feature. If you ship through the mobile track, android:required must be "false". On the dedicated Automotive OS track you can set it to true or false or leave it unset, and unset means the app is available only on Automotive OS devices.The parked-only rules
Games count as parked apps. By default Android Auto and Automotive OS block activities while the vehicle is in motion or UX restrictions are active, so don’t add the
distractionOptimized metadata to any activity. Your game’s audio must stop when the user starts driving and can’t be unpaused while the car is moving, and when the user relaunches the game from the home screen it must restore the previous state as closely as possible. Google also asks that gameplay doesn’t freeze or stutter.Controllers and screen sizes
Car screens take touch, but many players prefer a gamepad. If your game supports controllers, declare
android.hardware.gamepad with android:required="false", and set it to true only if a controller is mandatory. Car displays range from portrait to wide landscape, so make the game adaptive and run full screen without letterboxing or pillarboxing. The same adaptive work helps on larger Android screens, covered in bringing Android apps to Googlebook.Testing and getting approved
Test Android Auto with the Desktop Head Unit and Automotive OS with the Android Automotive OS emulator, using the bundled hardware profiles and canonical screen sizes. When ready, opt in to the Android Auto and Android Automotive OS form factors in the Play Console. Google reviews the game against the car app quality guidelines for games before approving it for open testing or production. If you’re also updating for Android 17, see the Android 17 behavior changes.
Where Censuus fits
A new screen is a new place to be played; being found is what brings players to your listing. Censuus ranks apps by the visits they draw, and adding your game is free on the List my app form. Placement comes from traffic and sponsorship: apps climb on the visits they draw, and a sponsor can pay to rise higher. For the rest of launch, see how to market a mobile game.
Frequently asked questions
Can you play games on Android Auto?
Yes, while the car is parked. Google made the games category for Android Auto and Android Automotive OS generally available on September 21, 2026; games are blocked while the vehicle is moving.
Which Android version does Android Auto need for games?
Games are supported on Android Auto on phones running Android 15 and higher.
How do I make my game available on Android Auto?
Mark the app as a game with android:appCategory="game", add the CAR_LAUNCHER category to an activity’s intent filter, handle the parked state, then opt in to the Android Auto form factor in the Play Console and pass the car app quality review.
Can car games use a controller?
Yes. Declare android.hardware.gamepad with android:required="false" if your game supports controllers but doesn’t require one.
How do I test a game for Android Auto?
With the Desktop Head Unit for Android Auto and the Android Automotive OS emulator for Automotive OS.
Guides for app developers
- How to market an app: a stage-by-stage plan
- Submit your app for free
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- Subscription Bundles, Suites and multiseat purchases on the App Store
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- On-Demand Resources is deprecated: moving to Background Assets
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- The Android 17 location button and Google Play’s precise location rules
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- The Android 17 local network permission
- Android 17 background audio hardening
- Cleartext HTTP and certificate transparency on Android 17
- Android 17: lock-free MessageQueue and static final fields
- Android 17 ignores orientation lock and resizability on large screens
- Android 17 behavior changes: a checklist for target SDK 37
- Preparing your app for iPhone Duo
- Google Play subscription grace period and account hold
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- The Android 17 Handoff API
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- App Store Connect webhooks
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- Migrating to Android Gradle plugin 9
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- Kotlin 2.4, 2.4.20 and the road to 2.5
- Upgrading your app build to Gradle 9
- The latest Compose BOM and Compose 1.12
- Compose Multiplatform 1.12 and the Hot Reload MCP server
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Put your app in the ranking
Censuus ranks apps by the visits they draw and by sponsorship, no bots. Listing is free; sponsorship raises placement.