Initially brought to mobile, the Waze app has the ability to show drivers where the nearest charging stations are and the important details that follow. Now, the Google-owned app is bringing that feature to Android Auto and CarPlay, expanding the user base significantly.
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After being rumored as coming with an update for some time, luxury electric vehicle maker Lucid has officially announced wireless CarPlay and Android Auto are now available and come standard with its connectivity suite.
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Google’s Waze platform arrived on Apple CarPlay in 2018, and now it’s about to adopt one of Apple’s latest features. It appears that Waze will soon support CarPlay’s dashboard mode.
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Ford today announced that its first vehicle to offer support for Google’s Android Auto in-dash system will be the 2017 Escape going on sale in May.
Update: While Google has not commented directly on Porsche’s reported rejection of Android Auto, the company made a statement to The Verge in which it denied that it currently collects any of the data mentioned in the original report. It does not go as far as saying that it has not requested access to such data.
“We take privacy very seriously and do not collect the data the Motor Trend article claims such as throttle position, oil temp, and coolant temp,” Google said in a statement to The Verge. “Users opt in to share information with Android Auto that improves their experience, so the system can be hands-free when in drive, and provide more accurate navigation through the car’s GPS.”
Sportscar manufacturer Porsche has rejected Android Auto for the 2017 version of its famous 911, saying that Google demands access to too much data, reports Motor Trend.
As part of the agreement an automaker would have to enter with Google, certain pieces of data must be collected and [sent] back to Mountain View, California. Stuff like vehicle speed, throttle position, coolant and oil temp, engine revs—basically Google wants a complete OBD2 dump whenever someone activates Android Auto.
Porsche has approved Apple’s CarPlay, as this requires access to only a single piece of data: whether or not the car is moving.
Porsche’s parent company Volkswagen is, however, pressing full speed ahead with Google’s in-car infotainment system, stating back in July that almost every 2016 Volkswagen model in almost every trim level will get Android Auto support.
Android Auto got a user-interface refresh back in August.
When Parrot unveiled its new Android Auto-compatible infotainment system the RNB6 at CES, it promised pricing and availability later in the year. The company now appears to have had a change of heart, updating its blog post to say that it now has no plans to offer it as an aftermarket upgrade, and will be selling it direct to manufacturers instead.
RNB6 project was showcased at CES Las Vegas in January 2015 (watch video below). This infotainment system was selected by several automakers who envision to integrate it in their next-generation car models next year and beyond. As of today there is no plan to sell RNB6 in Aftermarket channels as RNB6 embedded technologies require deep integration with car series and manufacturers
The unit itself runs on Android, offering navigation, music and other functionality without a connected phone, but also supports both the Android Auto platform and Apple’s CarPlay.
While Android Auto has had a relatively slow start to date, it appears to be gathering momentum as manufacturers introduce support in their 2016 models, which are now starting to arrive in showrooms. Volkswagen said last week that almost all its 2016 models will get Android Auto support, while Honda said that the 2016 Accord would be its first Android Auto-equipped model.
Via iMore
2015 Volkswagon eGolf electric car
Volkswagen has announced that almost every 2016 VW model “in virtually every trim” will get support for Android Auto, with the first models arriving in showrooms this week.
As the people’s car brand, we knew that it was important to democratize these technologies across the Volkswagen line-up, with features like App-Connect ensuring that more consumers can integrate their smart devices in a wide range of trims on virtually every model the company sells […]
App-Connect provides seamless smartphone integration through three interfaces: Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and MirrorLink.
“Democratization” only goes so far – the company will offer four different head units of varying sophistication, depending on price level …
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Ford was one of the first car manufacturers to announce its intentions to add support for Google’s Android Auto to its in-dash systems. Questions concerning how Ford plans to integrate Google’s solution, however, have remained since the initial announcement. In an interview with Re/code today, Ford CEO Mark Fields clarified some of the details regarding the company’s plans to offer Android Auto (and CarPlay) in its vehicles.
According to a post on the Android subreddit, HTC is testing its own competitor to Google’s Android Auto in-car system. The post claims that the device is named “HTC Cello” and runs a version of Sense specifically for cars, currently called Sense Automotive. Test logs from the device show that HTC is looking to integrate its device more with the car than Android Auto currently does.
It appears 2015 is going to be the first year that Android Auto and Apple’s CarPlay finally start seeing more widespread attention, and Pioneer is kicking the year off with five new NEX receivers, three of which are compatible with Google’s Android Auto. We had a chance to see one of them in action at CES 2015, and while it was made clear that this was just demonstration software, the receivers are most definitely doing a great job of showing off Google’s car OS in a package that’s relatively affordable.
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Volkswagen, at CES 2015, has finally announced what it plans to do with both CarPlay and Android Auto. The German auto manufacturer has confirmed that it will begin shipping cars with Android Auto capabilities later this year in its 2016 models.
Google is planning to create a version of Android that will run in cars without the need for a connected smartphone according to a new report from Reuters. The updated version of Android Auto said to include “all the features of the Internet,” such as streaming music and GPS navigation.
The software would also reportedly include the ability to use the car’s sensors (like GPS) to feed information about consumers’ driving habits to advertisers.
Apple and Google are back at it again and attempting to bring a safe and friendly mobile experience to your car. Android Auto and CarPlay are the two company’s re-imagining of mobile user interfaces for the car and both are gearing up for a major rollout over the next year.
Each system is designed to work with its respective native mobile platform, but there are differences between the two that may appeal to different people. Today we’re comparing Apple’s CarPlay to Google’s Android Auto using the 2015 Hyundai Sonata. This car comes packed with both systems, so you won’t have to compromise either way, but there are some important differences between the two…
Following Google’s unveiling of its new Android Auto connected car platform, a long list of both new and old members of the Open Automotive Alliance have confirmed support for the new feature. A press release lists a number of new members including Bentley, LG, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Maserati, Volvo and many more. The news also confirms that we’ll see aftermarket solutions for Android Auto from companies like Pioneer, Parrot and Alpine. Here’s a full list of new OAA companies that will support Android Auto:
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