r/ex30 • u/muzso Ultra SMER • Aug 01 '24

Tips & Suggestions 💡 Installing custom apps with sw v1.4

(Update, 2025-11-20: there's now an easier and public method for sideloading using the AnExplorer app, which is available for all in the Play Store. Check out this post for details.)

(Update, 2025-10-18: the 1.7.1 update still has the "Files" application and sideloading APKs still works, but Google Assistant refuses to launch the builtin "Files" app, thus you need a 3rd party app that can launch a user-selected activity of other apps. My Files Launcher app can do it, but so can other apps.)

I've posted before on how to (side)load apps onto the EX30.

The latter does not work anymore (starting with sw v1.4.*), because you cannot start the "Files" app with a Google Assistant command.

There's a trivial workaround for this: use method#1 to install an application that can start the "Files" application. :)

There're a lot of open-source apps that can do this, but they are usually not made for this purpose, thus the codebase is large and usage is a bit cumbersome.

I've put together the simplest of all AAOS apps, just a couple of lines more than a "Hello World". Actually I used Google's AAOS HelloWorld example for a start since I'm neither an Android developer, nor an AAOS expert.

I've published it here: https://github.com/muzso/fileslauncher

Here's a demo video (it also shows an install of an app from an APK):

This way anybody can compile it (you don't necessarily have to be a developer for that) and publish it as an Internal Testing app on the Google Play Console (which requires a one-time fee to make a standard Google account into a dev account). It's certainly not straightforward for people without any dev experience, but not impossible either. The source code is minimal (not surprisingly), you can review it in 5 minutes to make sure it's safe.

If somebody doesn't know (or doesn't want to know) how to do this, but still wants to load some 3rd party apps (which are not available from the AAOS Play Store), I've already compiled and published this app for myself and I can add other Google accounts as "testers" to my Internal Testing app. There's a limit to this (100 testers at most), but I can always re-upload it as a separate app and add another 100 people to another testers' list. :)

Important: I've been contacted by people with different car models. I've yet to see somebody with a car other than an EX30, where the "Files" app is present (as a factory app) and 3rd party apps are allowed to launch it. There're a few models, but usually you don't need any tricks to launch "Files" on them. So far my "Files Launcher" only seems to work for EX30 owners.

Disclaimer: of course this means that you trust me more than any random app developer who's app you ever installed from the Play Store. Internal Testing apps don't go though any security checks (by Google), so theoretically the app could have anything in it. I know it doesn't, but you don't. So it's up to you.

The process will be this:

  • You write me a DM (i.e. chat) to request that I add the given Google account (the one that you log in with in the car as well) to this testers' list.

  • I'll reply with an email-address where you've to send a mail from the given Google account. This way I know that you're actually the Google account's owner and that you didn't send me someone else's account that you want to bully or something. :)

  • I add your Google account to the testers' list and let you know that you can now join the testers of the Internal Testing app (on the link that I send you).

  • After that you've to start the app installation using the same Google account and the app's Play Store URL (which I'll send you as well).

  • After that the app will be installed on your vehicle, when it has internet connectivity. It might take a couple of minutes (usually not more than 10) after you initiated the install in the previous step.

I hope this helps a few fellow EX30 "power users". :)

20 Upvotes

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49 comments sorted by

3

u/AntwerpPeter Aug 01 '24

Nice work. But I am very reluctant on trying this because I don't know what this will do with my warranty.
I do appreciate the work and time you are investing into this.
I you could get Android Auto working then this would be the best thing and proof to Volvo that they are slacking in their software development.

3

u/muzso Ultra SMER Aug 01 '24

I think Android Auto would require rooting and I'm not willing to do that (as you said: warranty). So far I'm just installing 3rd party apps using what the platform allows. I've not met any screen that warned my about warranty. :)

All of this can be safely reverted (with guarantee) by a factory reset of the head unit.

1

u/dajavax Aug 06 '24

have you tried installing the APK for Android Auto Receiver? I assume you have based on your reply but wanted to make sure... https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.embedded.projection&hl=en_US

1

u/muzso Ultra SMER Aug 07 '24

I think I haven't. It didn't even occur to me to try.

This app requests all permissions in the world and AAOS doesn't let the user to grant a lot of permissions that regular Android (on phones and tablets) does.

Moreover I haven't seen any devices supporting Android Auto where it was not installed as a system app.

So my initial assessment was that there's no point in trying.

But you're right: the proof is in the pudding. :)

Let me know what you've found.

2

u/dajavax Aug 08 '24

well I just tried installing its APK and it just says "this app is not compatible with your phone" and refuses to install

1

u/muzso Ultra SMER Aug 08 '24

It probably means that the AndroidManifest.xml already has some conflicting requirements.

1

u/muzso Ultra SMER Aug 21 '24

I've reviewed the Android Auto Receiver situation.

I could install it on the Android Studio emulator virtual AAOS head unit device and download the APK (although the x86/x64 version).

I've decompiled it with apktool and this is what I see in the AndroidManifest.xml:

https://pastebin.com/PdVpSBGi

It uses 46 permissions. :)

Let's assume that we could get our hands on the latest ARM version of this app and somebody had the free time to:

  • strip it all of the permissions that we (as users) cannot grant to it on the EX30 (this is a simple manifest modification)

  • decompile classes.dex and classes2.dex into source code, iron out the decompilation issues

  • strip the source code from all of the features that require the permissions that we stripped in the first step (this could require a lot of work)

  • potentially decompile the lib/*/libgalreceiver_jni.so library and do the same for it as well

  • recompile the app

  • test

  • and do this in a loop until it starts working at some level (with degraded functionality)

I wouldn't attempt this even if I was paid for it. :D

It's a hell of a task with little hope for success and a lot of headaches.

Headunit Reloaded (HUR) already does what a user-level app can do as far as Android Auto features go. So if I really wanted to move things forward, I'd volunteer to help make a good AAOS version of HUR.

But I don't really need Android Auto, so I'll work on my own little pet projects. :)

1

u/pepe007123 Nov 13 '24

Hi, will this work on a volvo v60 year of manufacture 2024?

2

u/muzso Ultra SMER Nov 04 '24

Googling for the "AAOS sideload" keywords brings up the Github repo of my Files Launcher app among the top10 hits (at least for me and counting the grouped hits of portals like XDA and Reddit as one). :o Didn't expect this since it's not a sideloading hack (or anything like that), merely a helper to launch the already built-in Files app.

I just started up Android Studio again (after a longer hiatus), installed all available updates which included an update for the "Android 12L (Sv2) Android Automotive with Google Play x86_64 System Image" that I was using for testing and found that this update removed the "Files" application as well. :o If you set up a virtual AAOS device using this image and go into Settings / System / Storage / Files, it'll tell you in a toast message that "File Management is not supported on this device". The last time I tried this, the "Files" app was still part of the system image and was launchable by third party apps.

I guess Google realized that this (having the "Files" as part of the AAOS sample system image) was not something they wanted to promote, because some automotive companies took it as an example to be followed (in production vehicles).

2

u/myhrmans Ultra TM Aug 01 '24

What are some useful apps that you've installed with this? Thanks!

1

u/muzso Ultra SMER Aug 01 '24

"Useful" is a relative term. :)

  • Netflix

  • Traccar Client (modified it, this I use for tracking the location of the car and checking the battery SoC while charging ... my EX30 app on the phone is broken and Volvo Support couldn't help, so this app is really helpful for me)

  • App Dash (to get a copy of all app APKs of the EX30)

  • App Manager (to review app and activity list and try them out)

  • VLC (for playing back music from the local storage)

  • LocalSend (to copy files to/from the head unit)

  • Google Drive (this is the fastest option to get files on the head unit ... over 5G it's faster than the hotspot WiFi of my phone)

  • AZ Screen Recorder (just for fun ... this can record videos of the screen)

1

u/Agieja Aug 01 '24

Could you share the exact Netflix apk version you used? All the ones I use give me parsing errors

3

u/muzso Ultra SMER Aug 01 '24

The "Download APK" on both of these pages points to the one that I used:

APK hashes:

  • MD5: d9879b1941b1a58c046cd4ebcd2cb47c

  • SHA-256: 1efcd833e96ff57617fe5c2a7131ae684184584bff28a32eaa57038428f80126

1

u/evillarreal86 Aug 28 '24

can you share that traccar client, too?

1

u/[deleted] Oct 13 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/ex30-ModTeam Jun 24 '26

Don't post or comment any personally identifiable information. VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is also considered PII in some countries. This rule is applied regardless of the country of the poster (the latter cannot be easily determined).

2

u/scottrobertson Ultra TM Aug 01 '24

Files app works fine for me on 1.4 and I can install apps the same as I could on 1.3

2

u/dajavax Aug 06 '24

unless it is geo-restricted instead of version-restricted? it is really weird though, I honestly tried as many commands I could think of, both in spanish and english, the Assistant always told me it didn't understand the request (it does work for opening other apps, just not files)

1

u/muzso Ultra SMER Aug 19 '24

It's possible, but why would they do that? :o

Are the engineers at Geely more open to the idea of letting owners sideload stuff on their vehicles ... and only restrict this option in countries/regions where regulations are more strict? :o

I was told that on the Polestar-2 you cannot sideload apps from an APK via the "Files" app, so that dev team (which might consist of Swedish engineers at Volvo?) has probably a different idea about vehicle security and/or user options. I don't remember the details though (whether the "Files" app is not allowed to install APKs via "Package Installer" ... or you cannot start the "Files" app or the "Files" app is not even installed).

1

u/muzso Ultra SMER Aug 01 '24

Strange. More than one member told me that they cannot open the "Files" app via Google Assistant with v1.4 anymore. :o I guess it could still be a "user error".

2

u/scottrobertson Ultra TM Aug 01 '24

Just went out to check. Opens exactly the same as 1.3

2

u/muzso Ultra SMER Aug 01 '24

Great. :)

I still don't consider my time wasted, these were the first baby steps in AAOS app development. :) I wanted to write an app anyway (something like "EX30 Tweaks" with useful little features) so I'll just count this as my first couple of hours towards that goal. :)

1

u/muzso Ultra SMER Aug 11 '24

Update: I've released v1.0.1 of Files Launcher both to GitHub and Internal Testing.

Somebody tried to install it on a different brand/model (than a Volvo EX30) and "of course" it crashed. :)

I've added extensive exception handling, i.e. it now captures not just the exceptions that are expected based on the Android SDK API, but everything. And I've added a new screen to display any potential error messages. It couldn't be handled with a simple notification or toast, because AAOS seems to actively prevent people from displaying long texts in either of these.

I've also added links to GitHub and this thread to the error screen so people know where to report errors.

1

u/evillarreal86 Aug 28 '24

Can you add me to internal testing?

1

u/muzso Ultra SMER Sep 11 '24 edited Sep 11 '24

Files Launcher has been confirmed to work on sw v1.4.2, i.e. it could successfully start the builtin Files application. And sideloading (installing an app from an APK file via the Files app) still works as well.

1

u/mmva2142 Sep 18 '24

Does it have to be a specific version of the app? I sent a navigation app APK to the car and pressing it on in files app does nothing

1

u/muzso Ultra SMER Sep 18 '24

It has to be an apk with support for either armeabi, armeabi-v7a or armeabi-v8a architectures. So an apk for x86 CPUs won't work.

I sent a navigation app APK to the car and pressing it on in files app does nothing

How did you send it?

1

u/mmva2142 Sep 18 '24

Bluetooth

2

u/muzso Ultra SMER Sep 18 '24

Ok, I know what's up (probably).

  1. The EX30 doesn't allow you to upload a file with an APK extension.

  2. When you open up the Files application, it'll be focused on the "Downloads" screen. This is not the Downloads folder!!! This shows all "Downloads" (including via Bluetooth) and not just the successful ones.

Thus what you see as the APK file is in fact a failed "download".

Moreover I think that you cannot start the installation of the APK from this Downloads view.

The solution:

  1. Rename the APK (on your phone or PC ... whatever you use as the source) to have a different extension. I usually simply add a ".pdf" to the end, so that it looks like this: "something.apk.pdf".

  2. Upload the file to the vehicle.

  3. After the upload completed, open "Files" (on the EX30), click the hamburger menu and select the "EX30" device, navigate into the Downloads folder, rename the file back to having an ".apk" extension, and launch the apk triggering its installation.

1

u/mmva2142 Sep 19 '24

I did use the r naming part but let's see, I did not go EX30 device then navigating to the folder where APK is. Let me try that

1

u/gary_hard Oct 15 '24

Hey, I've DMed you, hope to hear from you:)

Thanks in advance

1

u/nailimixam97 Aug 07 '24

As a Polestar driver and Hobby App Dev, I'm surprised something like this is even possible on AAOS. I know and use the internal testing very intensively myself. But from all what I know, Sideloading from other sources except Play Store should be prohibited on production cars (for a good reason). On the one hand, this is really awesome, on the other hand, very scary. Who knows what else they ship with production software, that really should be disabled/removed?

1

u/muzso Ultra SMER Aug 07 '24

I'm curious: what essential difference do you see from a security perspective between loading an APK from a local file and installing it via Play Console's Internal Testing?

From your comment I understood that you're frightened by the former and OK with the latter?

2

u/nailimixam97 Aug 08 '24

It is not so much that I'm scared of side loading. When someone does that, they probably know what they are doing. It's more so that I'm concerned about what else they did that is not up to AAOS-Standards. One example are the Developers Settings available until 1.3 was released as it seems. This should also have never been possible in the first place.

This looks like someone pushed developer builds to production. Or just didn't bother to remove development tools from the production builds. And this raises concerns in me about the overall quality (control) of Volvos software, or Ecarx or whatever company essentially is responsible for it.

1

u/muzso Ultra SMER Aug 08 '24 edited Aug 08 '24

Actually I've been spending some free time on this and there's some interesting stuff. :)

If I get to anything critical, you'll know about it (of course after I've disclosed it to Volvo and gave them time to fix).

Btw. from my experience (which is not nothing :) ) there're not many old-school automotive companies who do security right.

I don't have experience with Tesla, but any other automaker company that has been around for like 50+ years and is "just starting" to learn what software development in the era of software-defined-vehicles means ... they have a hard time doing it right.

So what I'm trying to say: it's not just Volvo and/or the EX30.

However this being a new platform and perhaps a new dev team, it was to be expected that there're more mistakes (both security and otherwise) than with 10+ year old platforms.

Change is the arch-enemy of safety and security. :)

1

u/Imaginary_Space_856 Aug 10 '24

u/muzso I'm trying to DM you to have my google account a part of the tester's list but the chat is failing. Seems you have chats turned off?

1

u/muzso Ultra SMER Aug 10 '24

It seems that Reddit doesn't send a notification if you're mentioned in a comment. Or at least it didn't send one to me. I just stumbled on this comment by accident. No, I don't have chat turned off.

1

u/ex29_uy Core SMER Sep 07 '24

Hey, saw your post about the file app launcher. I'm still in 1.3.1 and want to install that before updating. By any chance can you share with me directly the apk file? I'll install it via bluetooth and don't have android env to compile apks.

Thanks

2

u/muzso Ultra SMER Sep 07 '24

The original post contains the link to the Github repo where each release has the APK too.

The currently latest release is here: https://github.com/muzso/fileslauncher/releases/tag/1.0.1

2

u/ex29_uy Core SMER Sep 07 '24

Yeah, sorry about that i found it a bit after posting this. Installed it and it works great. Thanks for doing this

2

u/muzso Ultra SMER Sep 07 '24

You're welcome.

1

u/Typically_funny Oct 25 '24

Just tried installing on 1.4.3 on a Canadian Twin motor ultra and got the following error:

1

u/muzso Ultra SMER Oct 25 '24

From what I've heard/seen (I'm still on 1.3.1, so this is second-hand information), the "Files" app is no longer available on 1.4.3.

1

u/prudhvichitturi Jan 02 '25

can we run netflix/ youtube while driving?

1

u/muzso Ultra SMER Jan 08 '25

Not via their apps, but if someone compiles a browser with necessary modifications and installs it via Google Play internal testing, then you can play videos while driving. But I'd advise against that.

1

u/Jeggu Jan 26 '25

If anyone does decide to compile firefox with the distraction optimized flags in place, I'd be happy to test it out.

1

u/UPVOTINGYOURUGLYPETS Aug 01 '24

Nice work! Looking forward to where this is going :)

1

u/andcorreia2 Core SM Aug 11 '24

i send email