Starting today, Android Auto will significantly enhance the functionality of navigation, parking, and charging apps

This upgrade, detailed on the Android Developer Blog, will allow third-party developers to create and publish their own apps in these key areas

This opening of the Android Auto ecosystem was first announced last August, and several apps have been available for testing as beta versions over the past few months But starting today, developers will be able to publish their apps to the full Play Store

Until now, Android Auto has been a rather restrictive platform Google allowed developers to release messaging and media apps, but otherwise the program was essentially closed

While Google's desire to create a high-quality user experience is commendable, the lack of third-party support in key categories left a rather large hole in the service's feature catalog

Flagship navigation apps like Google Maps and Wyze have always been supported, but new additions to the store include T-map, Chargepoint, and A Better Route Planner We especially like Chargepoint, which locates the nearest EV charging stations

Of course, Google has not opened the door for all apps to enter the Play Store without oversight It still insists that third-party developers follow its guidelines when making software available via Android Auto, and will likely take swift action if a violating app tries to gain a place on its digital storefront

Overall, this is a pretty significant upgrade to the Android Auto platform that gives users an extra layer of customization and allows for some very useful apps to service This update comes after the leak of Spotify's fresh "car thing" that it hopes will rival both Android Auto and Apple's CarPlay