For the past couple of years, Google has been working with a handful of automakers to use Android as the heart of your vehicle’s infotainment system. This week, we’re finally seeing the first car with Android Automotive be officially announced with Volvo’s Tesla Model 3 competitor, the Polestar 2.
Google’s Android Auto platform has grown significantly over the past few years, and the company has also been working on a native solution with some car makers. Today, an interview with Patrick Brady, the head of Android Auto at Google, reveals quite a few new details on the platform.
In regards to cars, Google has a two-prong approach with Android Auto and Android Automotive. The former is an infotainment system that features Assistant and Google Maps, while the latter involves Android running on cars. Google is now working with Renault, Nissan, and Mitsubishi to bring Android Automotive into 2021 vehicles.
Google’s in-car platform hasn’t changed much since it was originally unveiled, but in the past year or so it has seen some big changes. Last year at I/O, we saw Android Automotive’s debut, a phone-less version of Android Auto for specific cars, and now, we’re getting more details on that, as well as a slight revamp for Android Auto itself.
In-car infotainment systems have long been pretty bad. As touchscreens entered the game, things only got worse, especially in the way of applications. Google and Apple both have ways to fix that, but they don’t provide functionality that the car’s system has, such as climate controls.
With the option to build Android into manufacturers own systems, Google is making it easier for car makers to integrate options like Google Assistant and Android apps into vehicles, and at I/O 2017, we’ve gone hands on.
At Google I/O this week, Audi and Volvo will show off infotainment systems in their cars built around the Android operating system. To be clear, these aren’t one of the 300 Android Auto compatible car models that have launched since 2014.
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