Google is changing this for Android with GKIs (General Kernel Images) being mandatory[1] for new phones which launch with Android 12 (i.e. late 2022 phones). They'll maintain a stable ABI so that OEMs can plug in their proprietary drivers as kernel modules.

Additionally with the work the Android Kernel team are doing to upstream so Android Common Kernel can be just replaced with using the Linux mainline, we're getting ever closer to limiting the effect that closed-source drivers have on updates.

[1] https://source.android.com/devices/architecture/kernel/gener...