Difference between android automotive and android auto

Question

What´s the difference between android auto and android automotive?

https://www.android.com/intl/en_en/auto/

https://source.android.com/devices/automotive/

Answer 1

Android Auto is powered by a smartphone using an application. The application can be run on the phone, or by plugging the phone into an Android auto compatible head unit. The phone then "projects" an interface onto the cars head unit, giving access to maps/waze, phone calls, play music/compatible apps. It even has an OEM app segment, although most of the time that just takes the user out of android auto and back to the cars interface.

Android Automotive is instead run on a computer in the vehicle, and is a full android OS experience rather than an extension of the phone. Android Automotive can control HVAC and some other car systems depending on the implementation by the cars manufacturer. It doesn't require a smartphone to be plugged in, while still giving a similar experience to android auto.

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2017/05/android-automotive-hands-on-google-is-finally-ready-to-talk-about-its-car-os/