Android Automotive will let you PIN-lock apps to keep them private from passengers

Unlike your personal Android phone, cars running Google’s Android Automotive OS are shared spaces. While the OS supports individual, PIN-protected user profiles to keep data separate, it currently lacks a way to lock specific apps. This creates a privacy loophole: If you unlock your profile just to let a passenger play music, they also gain access to all your other apps. Fortunately, that is set to change, as Google is introducing a native App Lock feature to Android Automotive.

According to the latest release notes for Android Automotive’s unbundled apps, Google is introducing a feature called ‘sensitive app protection.’ This allows users to secure specific apps behind a PIN that is distinct from the main system’s profile lock. For example, you could lock Chrome or WhatsApp to keep your browser history and messages private, even while the rest of the interface remains accessible to passengers.

However, due to how Google is releasing this as an ‘unbundled app’ — meaning it isn’t baked into the core OS — it is up to automakers to implement it. This approach mirrors Google’s standalone dashcam tool. And, like the dashcam, the code for sensitive app protection is open source, allowing us to inspect exactly how it works.

The underlying service is labeled ‘Sensitive App Lock,’ and it adds a new App Lock entry under Settings > Privacy. The system describes it simply: ‘Lock apps to stop other people opening them.’ Here’s a mock-up of what the App Lock setting should look like:

Inside the menu, you will find a toggle to enable the feature and a ‘My Apps’ section listing your currently secured applications. There is also a disclaimer at the bottom that says the feature only disables the UI. It warns that locked apps may still run in the background and share data (like photos) with other apps. Furthermore, installing a new app that shares an account with a locked app could automatically sign you in, potentially exposing your data.

Tapping the toggle prompts you to set a 4-to-16-digit PIN. If you forget this PIN, you can reset it by signing into the profile’s associated Google Account. However, doing so appears to require deleting the locked apps or their data to maintain security. Once configured, you can select which apps to secure, though there are exceptions; essential system tools like the Assistant, Maps, and Settings cannot be locked. However, most apps in the launcher — including those downloaded from the Play Store — are eligible.

Interestingly, Google is also working on a native App Lock for phones, though that project is currently a public API targeted for next year’s Android 17 release. The difference between these two is in their scope: while the phone version is a developer tool, Android Automotive’s ‘Sensitive App Lock’ is a complete feature implementation ready for automakers to deploy.

Given that the documentation only appeared this month, it is unlikely that any car maker has had time to roll it out yet. However, if you drive an Android Automotive vehicle and see this feature (or something similar) on your dashboard, let us know in the comments below!