3.3. How to Enable Android Automotive¶

3.3.1. Abstract¶

This guide will walk through the steps necessary to enable Android Automotive on your TI development board.

The Android Automotive OS and Human-Machine Interface provide users with a simplified interface for accessing applications while on the road. The OS is an Android-based infotainment system that allows for a vehicle-optimized, stand-alone Android device to be placed inside the head unit. In place of the phone apps, users install driver-optimized versions of the app directly onto the console. This streamlined experience enables the driver to perform efficient tasks, such as climate control, maps, phone, audio, etc..., in the convenience of their vehicle.

3.3.2. Introduction¶

In this user guide, we will show the key differences between the standard (tablet) configuration and the Android Automotive interface. The look and feel of the applications will differ in the sense that they’ll be specially tuned towards an automotive experience. We will also show how to switch at build time between the different target types (tablet and automotive). The AM57xx BeagleBoard-X15 Sitara platform was used since this is the only currently supported TI platform for development in the Android Open Source Project. The same work accomplished on the AM57xx BeagleBoard-X15 can be extended to a new platform; we will use the AM65x EVM module as an example. Finally, we will discuss the future work involved when enabling these features on a more automotive-tuned platform once it’s available.

• By default, the TI development board will launch with a tablet user interface:

Figure 1. Home Screen for Tablet Configuration.

• After creation of the automotive target on the TI development board, the following user interface will be available:

Figure 2. Start Screen for Automotive Configuration, Depicting a Car With PSI Information Near Tires.

Figure 3. “Let’s Drive” Interface for Automotive Configuration (allowing you to interact with applications by selecting the icon in the middle)

Figure 4. Climate Control Interface for Automotive Configuration (allowing you to adjust temperature, fan speed and direction, seat warmers, and so forth)

Figure 5. Notification Pane for Automotive Configuration (presenting you with up-to-date notifications regarding your vehicle)

3.3.3. Implementation¶

 PRODUCT_MAKEFILES += \
-    $(LOCAL_DIR)/beagle_x15.mk \
+    beagle_x15:$(LOCAL_DIR)/beagle_x15.mk \
+    beagle_x15_auto:$(LOCAL_DIR)/auto/beagle_x15.mk \

 COMMON_LUNCH_CHOICES := \
     beagle_x15-userdebug \
+    beagle_x15_auto-userdebug \

BOARD_SEPOLICY_DIRS += \
    device/ti/beagle_x15/sepolicy

+ifeq ($(TARGET_PRODUCT),beagle_x15_auto)
+BOARD_SEPOLICY_DIRS += \
+   packages/services/Car/car_product/sepolicy
+
+DEVICE_MANIFEST_FILE += device/ti/beagle_x15/auto/manifest.xml
+endif
+

$(call inherit-product, device/ti/beagle_x15/device.mk)
$(call inherit-product, device/ti/beagle_x15/auto/device.mk)
$(call inherit-product, $(SRC_TARGET_DIR)/product/full_base.mk)
$(call inherit-product, packages/services/Car/car_product/build/car.mk)

PRODUCT_NAME := beagle_x15_auto
PRODUCT_DEVICE := beagle_x15
PRODUCT_BRAND := Android
PRODUCT_MODEL := AOSP Auto on BeagleBoard X15
PRODUCT_MANUFACTURER := Texas Instruments Inc

PRODUCT_PACKAGES += \
        android.hardware.automotive.vehicle@2.0-service \

PRODUCT_COPY_FILES += \
        frameworks/native/data/etc/android.hardware.type.automotive.xml:$(TARGET_COPY_OUT_VENDOR)/etc/permissions/android.hardware.type.automotive.xml \
        frameworks/native/data/etc/android.hardware.screen.landscape.xml:$(TARGET_COPY_OUT_VENDOR)/etc/permissions/android.hardware.screen.landscape.xml \

PRODUCT_PROPERTY_OVERRIDES += \
        android.car.drawer.unlimited=true \
        android.car.hvac.demo=true \
        com.android.car.radio.demo=true \
        com.android.car.radio.demo.dual=true \

<manifest version="1.0" type="device">
    <hal format="hidl">
        <name>android.hardware.automotive.vehicle</name>
        <transport>hwbinder</transport>
        <version>2.0</version>
        <interface>
            <name>IVehicle</name>
            <instance>default</instance>
        </interface>
    </hal>
</manifest>

3.3.4. Deploy Instructions¶

$ . ./build/envsetup.sh

$ lunch

$ export KERNELDIR=<path_to_kernel_directory>

$ make -j<number_of_cores>

cd ~/ti-processor-sdk-android-beagle_x15-<version>/board-support/
cp -r prebuilt-images emmc_files
cp -v ./aosp-<version>/out/target/product/beagle_x15/boot.img emmc_files
cp -v ./aosp-<version>/out/target/product/beagle_x15/system.img emmc_files
cp -v ./aosp-<version>/out/target/product/beagle_x15/userdata.img emmc_files
cp -v ./aosp-<version>/out/target/product/beagle_x15/recovery.img emmc_files
cp -v ./aosp-<version>/out/target/product/beagle_x15/vendor.img emmc_files
cp -v ./aosp-<version>/out/target/product/beagle_x15/boot_fit.img emmc_files
cp -v ./aosp-<version>/device/ti/beagle_x15/fastboot.sh emmc_files
cp -v ./aosp-<version>/out/host/linux-x86/bin/{simg2img,mkbootimg,fastboot,adb} emmc_files
cp -v ./linux-<version>/arch/arm/boot/zImage emmc_files/zImage-beagle_x15.bin
cp -v ./linux-<version>/arch/arm/boot/dts/am57*.dtb emmc_files
cp -v ./u-boot-<version>/MLO emmc_files
cp -v ./u-boot-<version>/u-boot.img emmc_files

cd ~/ti-processor-sdk-android-am65xx-evm-<version>/board-support/
cp -r prebuilt-images emmc_files
cp -v ./aosp-<version>/out/target/product/am65xevm/system.img emmc_files
cp -v ./aosp-<version>/out/target/product/am65xevm/userdata.img emmc_files
cp -v ./aosp-<version>/out/target/product/am65xevm/vendor.img emmc_files
cp -v ./aosp-<version>/out/target/product/am65xevm/boot_fit.img emmc_files
cp -v ./aosp-<version>/device/ti/am65xevm/fastboot.sh emmc_files
cp -v ./aosp-<version>/out/host/linux-x86/bin/{simg2img,mkbootimg,fastboot,adb} emmc_files
cp -v ./aosp-<version>/out/host/linux-x86/lib64/{libc++.so,libcutils.so,liblog.so,libselinux.so,libpcre2.so} emmc_files
cp -v ./u-boot_build/a53/u-boot.img emmc_files
cp -v ./u-boot_build/a53/tispl.bin emmc_files
cp -v ./u-boot_build/r5/tiboot3.bin emmc_files

$ sudo picocom -b 115200 /dev/ttyUSB0

=> fastboot 0

cd ~/ti-processor-sdk-android-<board>-<version>/board-support/emmc_files
~/ti-processor-sdk-android-<board>-<version>/board-support/emmc_files$ sudo ./fastboot.sh; sudo ./fastboot reboot

3.3.5. Testing¶

$ sudo apt-get install adb aapt

$ cd ~/ti-processor-sdk-android-<board>-<version>/board-support/emmc_files
$ unzip ~/Downloads/android-cts-<version>.zip .

PRODUCT_PROPERTY_OVERRIDES += ro.product.first_api_level=<Valid_Override_Value>

$ cd android-cts/tools
$ sudo ./cts-tradefed

Android Compatibility Test Suite [Version] (5550264)
Use "help" or "help all" to get more information on running commands.
[Date] [Time] I/DeviceManager: Detected new device #
cts-tf >

$ sudo ./adb devices

$ sudo ./adb kill-server
$ sudo ./adb start-server

cts-tf > run cts --module CtsCarTestCases

~/ti-processor-sdk-android-<board>-<version>/board-support/emmc_files$ cd android-cts/results/<time_stamp>

~$ vts-tradefed
vts-tf > list plans

vts-tf > run vts-hal-auto

~$ cd <Android_FS>/out/host/linux-x86/vts/android-vts/results/<time_stamp>

3.3.6. Open Source¶

• Automotive feature enablement on AM57xx BeagleBoard-X15 is merged to Android Open Source Project.

3.3.7. Extending to a New Platform¶

The work that was completed on the AM57xxx BeagleBoard-X15 in the Implementation -> Software Changes section can be extended to new platforms. The AM65x EVM is used as an example here. The differences between what was given in Implementation -> Software Changes and what is used for AM65x EVM are as follows:

• Automotive feature enablement on AM65x EVM is merged to Texas Instruments Repository

1. Changes inside device/ti/am65xevm/AndroidProducts.mk:

 PRODUCT_MAKEFILES := \
+       am65xevm_auto:$(LOCAL_DIR)/auto/am65xevm_auto.mk \

 COMMON_LUNCH_CHOICES := \
+       am65xevm_auto-userdebug \

2. Changes inside device/ti/am65xevm/BoardConfig.mk:

+ifeq ($(TARGET_PRODUCT), am65xevm_auto)
+BOARD_SEPOLICY_DIRS += \
+       packages/services/Car/car_product/sepolicy
+
+DEVICE_MANIFEST_FILE += device/ti/am65xevm/auto/manifest.xml
+endif

3. Changes inside device/ti/am65xevm/auto/am65xevm.mk:

+$(call inherit-product, device/ti/am65xevm/auto/device.mk)
+$(call inherit-product, packages/services/Car/car_product/build/car.mk)
+
+PRODUCT_NAME := am65xevm_auto
+PRODUCT_DEVICE := am65xevm
+PRODUCT_BRAND := TI
+PRODUCT_MODEL := AOSP Auto on AM65x EVM
+PRODUCT_MANUFACTURER := Texas Instruments Inc

4. Changes inside device/ti/am65xevm/auto/device.mk:

+#Automotive
+PRODUCT_PACKAGES += \
+       android.hardware.automotive.vehicle@2.0-service \
+
+PRODUCT_COPY_FILES += \
+       frameworks/native/data/etc/android.hardware.type.automotive.xml:$(TARGET_COPY_OUT_VENDOR)/etc/permissions/android.hardware.type.automotive.xml \
+       frameworks/native/data/etc/android.hardware.screen.landscape.xml:$(TARGET_COPY_OUT_VENDOR)/etc/permissions/android.hardware.screen.landscape.xml \
+
+PRODUCT_PROPERTY_OVERRIDES += \
+       android.car.drawer.unlimited=true \
+       android.car.hvac.demo=true \
+       com.android.car.radio.demo=true \
+       com.android.car.radio.demo.dual=true \

5. Content inside device/ti/am65xevm/auto/manifest.xml:

+<manifest version="1.0" type="device">
+    <hal format="hidl">
+        <name>android.hardware.automotive.vehicle</name>
+        <transport>hwbinder</transport>
+        <version>2.0</version>
+        <interface>
+            <name>IVehicle</name>
+            <instance>default</instance>
+        </interface>
+    </hal>
+</manifest>

3.3.8. Known Bugs¶

1. Sepolicy output while the device is running

~/ti-processor-sdk-android-<board>-<version>/board-support/emmc_files$ sudo ./adb shell dmesg | grep denied | audit2allow -p <Android_FS>/out/target/product/beagle_x15/obj/ETC/sepolicy_intermediates/sepolicy

• You may see the following errors:

#============== carservice_app ==============
allow carservice_app runtime_event_log_tags_file:file map;

#============== hal_vehicle_default ==============
allow hal_vehicle_default node:tcp_socket node_bind;
allow hal_vehicle_default self:tcp_socket { accept bind create listen };

• These cannot be resolved at this time due to SEPolicy neverallow

2. Power manager service is failing

• You may see the following errors:

E CarPowerManagerNative: Received unknown bootReason = 0
E PowerTestService: ERROR: Could not read bootReason!!

3. CTS test_result_failures.html output when tested on pie-core-release branch with an AM57xx BeagleBoard-X15 and an AM65x EVM

• test_result_failures.html returned one failed test

  • android.car.cts.CarBluetoothTest#testRequiredBluetoothProfilesExist

• Details

  • java.lang.NullPointerException: Attempt to invoke virtual method ‘boolean android.bluetooth.BluetoothAdapter.disable()’ on a null object reference

• This is expected since the AM57xx BeagleBoard-X15 and AM65x EVM do not support Bluetooth at this time.

3.3.9. Future Work¶

• Enable Android Auto Human-Machine Interface on new automotive-tuned TI platforms

• Migrate to Android Q Pastry Version

  • Add multiple hardware display support

    • Interactive: Individual input mapping, decorative elements and IME (soft keyboard)
    • Driver: Main IVI display with all UX restrictions applied
    • Passenger: Add support for more types of apps and individual launchers for each screen

  • Multiple users with “headless” system, where a user is not associated with a real user and doesn’t have a lock screen

  • Multi-zone Audio

    • A zone is a collection of audio devices and each user device can only be in one zone
    • Within each zone, audio usage determines which device the audio is routed to

3.3.10. FAQ¶

1. What is important about this topic?

   1. This topic allows the entire Android Open Source community to benefit from an additional feature: Android Automotive on all currently supported Texas Instruments ARM32B and ARM64B platforms, including AM57xx BeagleBoard-X15 and AM65x EVM. Android Automotive will also be applicable to all new automotive-tuned TI platforms.

2. Who is the intended end user?

   1. The intended end user(s) include the Automotive Business Unit for Digital Cockpit implementation targeted at infotainment customers who need a graphically rich user interface with an Android extensive app store on a Texas Instruments digital application processor.

3. When will this document be used?

   1. This document is intended to implement Android Automotive on any application processor that is designed to showcase and use the functionality of Android.

3.3.11. References¶

1. Jacinto 6 EVM on d-oreo-mr1-release: Changes for defining auto platform
2. Google Cuttlefish Auto (cf_x86_64_auto-userdebug)
3. AOSP Generic Car (aosp_car_x86_64-userdebug)