Google is rolling out a redesigned Play Store for cars that have Google built-in, the company announced Tuesday. The new layout will automatically adjust to the size and shape of a vehicle's screen, according to Google. The change is also intended to make it easier for drivers to find and download new apps.
Cars with Google built-in are not the same as vehicles running Android Automotive, Google's infotainment operating system. The Google built-in program lets automakers embed Google's services and native Android app support directly into their vehicles. Google first brought an early version of that integration to the Polestar 2, then expanded it to the Honda Accord Touring in 2023.
Since then, Google has been steadily adding apps and features to cars with Google built-in. Most recently, the company replaced Google Assistant with Gemini AI across a range of supported vehicles. Those vehicles come from Ford, GM, Honda, Nissan, Volvo and other automakers.
The Play Store update is aimed at US drivers who own or are shopping for vehicles with Google built-in, a category that has grown as more automakers adopt the integration.
The announcement did not include a release date for the redesigned storefront.
For Google, the refresh is the latest step in treating the car as another surface for its app ecosystem, alongside phones, tablets and TVs. For automakers, support for native Android apps has become a selling point as buyers weigh in-dash software against their phones. For consumers, the practical effect is a store that adapts to each dashboard rather than forcing a phone-style layout onto it.
Google did not say which specific models would receive the new Play Store layout first, nor whether the rollout would reach every vehicle with Google built-in. The company also did not provide a timeline for when the changes would appear.
The Verge reported the announcement earlier Tuesday.
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